


The Shepard Twins

by white_tiger



Series: Shepard twins: the story of Odysseus and Eris Shepard, the shadows of the alliance [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Fantasy, Literature, Massive AU, Romance, Twin Shepards, fan fiction, minor smut, will add new tags as they appear in story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2016-08-10
Packaged: 2018-07-22 00:26:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 49,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7411177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/white_tiger/pseuds/white_tiger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>this is the story of Odysseus and Eris Shepard's and how they go from the shadow agents who the military does not want to say exist and war hero's end up as the first two human specters and the first to be named at the same time.<br/>watch them find love and new hope in life in Garrus and Tali with a bit of help from their best friend and pilot Joker. this is way non cannon<br/>find out how a thief and quarrian  and a turian and assassin bond and ended up teaching each other about life and love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. eden prime: enter the masked twins

**Author's Note:**

> i do not own mass effect other wise the ending in the third game would have been better  
> due to a formatting issue there was some dialodge missing from the chapters four and up this problem has now been fixed. i am sorry for any issues you had with it.

The story of Odysseus (war hero/ engineer) Shepard

Odysseus “Demo” Shepard walked the corridors of the Normandy towards the cockpit, the crew swerved out of his way many still uncomfortable about meeting their xo’s eyes or rather his mask as he wore smooth mask that the only markings were the purple tracings in geometric patterns and the seam the ran the edge where face mask joined balaclava and where the upper and lower half of the mask joined. He wore a suit similar to the n7 demolisher engineer with his mask traded for a helmet version similar to the n7 shadow infiltrator.  
He entered the cockpit in time to hear Nhilus the council specter who was aboard making a comment before leaving, Joker the pilot started a small rant about how jumping across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pin was better than good and Odysseus agreed having finished second in flight school just behind joker and just ahead of his twin sister he knew how hard a target like the one they were aiming for was. 

“Cheer up joker at least I am proud of you, and look at it this way you don’t keep bumping into the guy every time you go to turn around.” Odysseus said in a sarcastically cheerful voice that on the lower side of mid-range with the built in speakers of his mask causing a small buzz to his voice. After Anderson called him to the comm room he squeezed joker’s shoulder in comfort showing his faith in the pilot before turning and leaving.

“Does he ever take that mask off?” asked Kaidan who was sitting to Joker’s right in the co-pilots chair in an annoyed voice. 

“Yeah not often, mainly it’s just to switch to his helmet for ground missions but other than that at meal times he takes the lower half off to eat.” Joker said in a slightly defensive voice as Odysseus and his sister Eris were his best friends since they met at flight school when it was them against the rest of the school, who ganged up on the cripple and the freaks. 

Joker with his brittle bones had a hard time in school but still kicked everyone else’s asses even the so called freaks the Shepard twins who both were born with strange biotic talents and later given grayboxes which were now illegal brain tech that gave you a serious memory and processing boost at the cost of never being able to remove it or change it without massive risk of brain damage. The twins had befriend Joker day one and never treated him like he was made of glass or mocked him for his disease and he in turn never mocked they for their implants or the fact that the pulse of eezo that gave them their unique talents also gave them glowing purple eyes and blindly bright white hair. They kept in touch after flight school when the twins moved straight to n-school where they set serval new records. They now even after winning the star of terra on Elysium still did black ops wet-work, they never talked about what they did but Joker pieced together they were in the assassin’s program for Eris and the thief’s program for Odysseus.

Odysseus walked through the CIC deck his mask framed by a hood that while deep did nothing to limit his vision because of the many micro cameras embedded in the hood mask and many other places on his suit along with mics and other sensor equipment, combined it made it very hard to sneak up on him as he could see 360 in a broad range of spectrums and chem sensors that were nearly as sharp as a blood hood with powerful mics allowed him to watch everything at once do to his graybox giving him mental strength to do it. He also had a habit of just tuning everything out and reading a book on the screen of his mask with no one the wiser about it.

Nearing the comm room he saw Dr. Karin Chakwas talking with a young solider named Jenkins, while stopping to talk with him Jenkins mentioned the event on Elysium known as the blitz and how Shepard proved himself and the Jenkins was hoping to do the same, faster than anyone could blink a slap rang out on the deck many looked to the source seeing a stunned Jenkins head snapped to the side from the force of the blow Odysseus delivered. 

“Soldier listen and listen good what happened that day was an ancestors damned nightmare and until you have stood on a mountain of corpses both civilian, enemy and guard along with friend do not speak of that event in my presence and pray you never gain that right, also what we do is not for glory or to make our mark on history we fight to protect those who cannot protect themselves regardless of who they are or where they come from.” Odysseus’s voice taking a hard edge he then turned and stalked off trying to shake the faces of the men women and child who died that day from his head.

Entering the comm room he found Nhilus already there they chatted for a few moment while he keep his answers diplomatic as what Nhilus did not know was that Shepard was aware as to why Nhilus was on abroad, he knew about the specter nomination and about the Prothean artifact they were heading to pick it up he knew about this from the hacking he had done. Anderson came in and brought Odysseus up to speed officially though he had no don’t that Shepard knew all about it through methods he would not want to know about. his mother and father before the man had passed away were old friends, but even with that and being his commanding officer he knew very little about the commander’s record as most of his missions were still highly classified that he did not even have access to. Just as Anderson finished bringing them all up to sped Joker broke in with a distress call from the planet below. 

At the end of the call he turned to Odysseus “Grab Alenko and Jenkins and suit up your going down there ASAP!” Anderson snapped.

With the ground team and Nhilus kitted out and given the final orders the dropped Nhilus off then the ground team at the second location signaling Jenkins to take point they went off, Jenkins was kitted out in standard full soldier’s kit with heavy armor and full weapons kit while the lieutenant Alenko was wearing light armor and kitted out with only a heavy pistol as a sentinel that was all he need with his tech and biotic powers. Odysseus was not your standard n7 engineer and it showed in his kit, high grade light armor with tactic cloak emitters built in along with the N7shadow style sensor helm for armor his weapons were even odder for an engineer as he carried a high powered sniper rifle over his left shoulder and a shot gun at the base of his spine. 

As they moved forward he called a halt with his comm but Jenkins ignored the order and advanced out in the open thinking about grabbing the advance cover to impress his commander, that hope was short lived as the reason Odysseus called a halt was he had picked up a strange reading on his sensors and those reading turned out to be a trio floating geth drones that made quick work of the soldier.

“Alenko overload right, then fire center!” Shepard barked out as he slammed his own overload into the left most drone bringing it down with a quick burst from his rifle and swung the barrel around to fire a shot to drop the shields on the center one while Alenko took it out. They advanced on Jenkins but even before they reached him the commander’s sensors told him the man was dead. 

“Strip his tags and mark his location for pick up after then grab his thermal clips and his shield batteries” Odysseus said in a neutral tone before moving off to scan the drones and call Nhilus, “Nhilus we have Geth here if the scans I am reading are right also we lost Jenkins the toasters tore clean through his shields watch yourself something is really wrong here.” “Roger I will meet you at the beacon site.” 

As Alenko stripped Jenkins he could not help but think that the commander seem to be very cold as soon as he had kitted up. He had heard the rumors about just what kind of field work the commander usually did and he was starting to believe the man really was involved with the ‘black as tar’ black ops. That made him feel safer and more concerned at the same time. As he finished the commander came and gave him an update. They moved out heading toward the beacon site.

Ashley had been running when she barely made it to cover as her shields dropped, the geth began moving and her pistol out of charges and she had no spares left, she pulled the only weapon with charge left her assault rifle and prepared to take as many of the oversized toaster bastards with her as possible. Just as the first geth started to round the boulder she was using as cover it exploded in a shower of sparks as a disruptor round smashed into it. 

turning she saw a soldier advancing towards her cover to cover firing a heavy pistol while a second soldier sat on top of the valley edge on a boulder spread eagle firing a large sniper rifle. Then a geth that was in cover from all three soldiers suddenly had its optics explode from a sniper shot that was not made by the sniper on the boulder. 

When all the geth finally fell the first sniper moved to join the other two soldiers, Ashely was amazed when the soldiers revealed themselves to be the legendary commander Odysseus Shepard and a human biotic lieutenant named Kaidan Alenko, “Sir where is the other sniper?” Ashely asked 

“Right here!” a smooth as glass voice sound from right in front of Ashely, there was a shimmer of a tactic cloak turning off and then standing before Ashley was a 5’ 5” masked n7 shadow armor wearing elf of a women. 

“I thought you were going to stay cloaked the entire time sis.” Odysseus said in a bored voice. Both Ashley and Alenko stared in awe at the pair that looked alike in their armor and build expect for gender along with the fact that Odysseus was 6’ 3” and his sister was only 5’5” they had the same slight wiry build. 

“Come on then we have work to do you can tell me why you’re here later.” Odysseus said before turning to the others. 

“Alright now that my lovely twin is here this is how we are going to play this Williams you are coming with us and you take point we will be looting bodies for batteries and thermal clips on route so grab what you can and mark the body locations both geth and human, Alenko my sister is now my second for this run what she says goes any questions… no good let’s move!” Odysseus barked before his sister vanished under her cloak again and Williams moved forward.

Kaidan was not happy about being field demoted, he knew it made sense as when they were paired together the Shepard twins where a force of nature but he hated the fact that he was now just a grunt with a gunnery chief on point. Ashely was ecstatic as not only was she getting revenge for her troops but she was fighting beside the Shepard twins who were famous for holding out during the blitz against impossible odds for days until the blockade could be broken. Though they looked very little like the stories describe them, she never thought Eris would be so short or that both of them would have a wiry build she supposed that it made sense give what she heard their roles really were.

They reached the beacon sight after a small amount of fighting where Williams drew there fire while Alenko cover her with tech and biotics and the twins used their sniper rifles to take out the ones in cover or flanking the soldiers. They found a small group of scientists who were scared but safe for now, they left them there after sending the location data to the Normandy for later recovery. 

Odysseus called Nhilus “Nhilus its Odysseus we are at the site we picked up a gunnery chief survivor and oddly enough found my twin sister here she is now fighting as my second in command, what is your sitrep?” 

“Commander it’s good to hear you found you sister she was to join use for the same reason as you soon as her current mission finished. I am heading to the tram station I saw the geth heading that way so meet me there.” the specter responded. 

“Alright on our way, watch your back something is wrong beyond the geth being here, I can’t say why but I know for a fact the geth would not be here without a very good reason.” Demo stated,The reason he knew this was on one highly classified mission he was sent to rannock the quarrian home world now under geth control where he made peaceful contact with the geth and learned that they just wanted to build their future and desired to be left alone.

As them approached the tram station they saw a giant ship as large as a dreadnought take off and leave the planet. “Look at the size of that ship how could it land let alone take off without breaking apart?” Ashley asked in horror. 

“I do not know that would take both massively powerful mass effect fields and perfect calculations to do that.” Kaidan responded, Odysseus and Eris stayed silent they both knew that the appearance of a ship like that meant only one thing their job just got a lot more dangerous. 

“Come on I have a bad feeling I have been trying to raise Nhilus but there is nothing at all.” Eris said in her smooth and cold voice, Odysseus nodded and signaled Ashely to move forward.

After clearing the tram station they found a smuggler. “What the fuck just happened to that turian?” Odysseus demanded of the smuggler. 

the smuggler spilled everything he knew and even handed over his smuggled goods without being asked as the two plain soldiers were scary but the two wiry masked ones were down right brown your pants terrifying as they looked and sounded almost like mechs with not flesh or signs of breathing it was only the fact that their voices were cold and full of deadly malice spoke to them not being machine, human? That was up for debate. 

“Wow commander that voice of yours scary.” Williams said with a small hint of fear, “Relax chief I was raised to be void of all emotions in the battle field.” Odysseus said in a much warmer voice that had a pleasant Irish bur. 

“Yeah we were taught to be free of emotions and only be guided by our code of honour, the mission specs and cold hard logic.” Eris chimed in her voice with the same pleasing bur. 

They moved on to clear the tram which was going fine until they ran into a geth prime. “Chief get to cover and draw its fire Alenko hit it with a throw, Eris when its off balance hit it with a singularity go!” they moved with the chief diving into a half cover on the tram then began peppering the geth with her assault rifle when its attention turned to the chief. 

Alenko slapped it hard with a throw and before it could recover it found itself floating in a singularity fields only to be dropped hard by the force of an arc grenade. “Good job troops lets go find out what they are fighting so hard to protect.” Odysseus order even as Eris was already moving to the controls. 

As they neared the tram both of the twin’s heads snapped up seeming to focus on a single point. “Get ready there are live bombs that we will need to take down, You two draw the geth’s attention from cover while Eris and I cloak and take out the bombs.” Odysseus commanded Eris nodded before chiming in “We should go dark now.” 

With that both of the pair vanished in a sparking shimmer. The pair of soldiers could only stare before shaking themselves and readying themselves for the fight, they were starting to believe the rumours that the pair was not human as who could have the skill they had and how cold their body language was in the field. Rumors also said that no one beside the doctor had ever seen their faces and lived to tell about so no one knew what they looked like.

When they arrived the geth opened fire on the pair of soldiers while the twins had already ran off the tram in silence each taking a bomb near them leaving the geth to the soldiers. When all four bombs had been shut down they turned their attention to the geth, Odysseus dropped to a knee and uncloaked bringing up his right hand Omni-tool as he wore two so he could store all the combat tech he used an Omni-bow sprung into existence glowing a faint red as he fired explosive bolts into the geth’s back where the power core lining was weakest. 

His bow and bombs/grenades where for mid-range or delay use he never ran out as he carried a custom Omni-gel converter that broke down enemy armor/weapons or mechs into gel to be made into his explosives. While Eris took out her SMG and opened fire on the geth’s back as well, Eris was kitted out just as odd as her brother with two different sniper rifles one modified viper for normal use along with a black widow anit-material rifle for heavy enemies or cover, and an SMG that was silenced as all her and her brothers were.

When the last geth fell to an explosive bolt in its optics they advanced to the next area with the twins cloaked once more as they moved to provide cover sniper fire. When they were both spread eagle spread out to provide max cover with their modified vipers locked and loaded they signaled the soldier and biotic forward with a promote to their helmets. Ashely charged forward in a rush before diving for the most advanced cover with Alenko bring up the rear for support, Ashely used her assault rifle and changed thermals in a natural battle rhythm learned from many hours training with Alenko who was now moving slower as the use of his biotics was starting to bring out a infamous l2 biotic migraine. 

At one point in the fight as Ashely was changing cover for a better position with Alenko covering her, a geth sighted and locked on to her opening fire, Alenko went to throw it but collapsed in a heap with pain as his biotics crashed leaving Ashely without cover fire as the twins were busy keeping the geth from flanking them. She cried out as her shields dropped and she felt a round tear through her lower torso, her cry came just as the twins finished off the flanking geth and opened fire on the geth now surrounding the downed lieutenant and soldier who was barely dodging the fire of the oncoming geth. 

Odysseus and Eris were chanting their sniper motto in their heads as they fired into the geth’s optics with disruptor rounds, ‘slow is smooth and smooth is fast.’ By the time the last walking toaster exploded from an arc grenade jump shock from the engineer Williams was on the ground with more bullet wounds, thank fully none of the rounds were stuck in her and none of them were serious it was just the pain from the wounds that had caused the chief to fall when the last geth was down. She had not been able to move far only able to move enough to prevent a worse wound or the geth would have had a clear shot at the lieutenant. 

After patching the chief up with medigel Eris moved off to examine the Prothean artifact, while Odysseus advanced on the lieutenant who was struggling to his feet. 

“What the hell were you thinking putting you squad mates in danger like that?” Odysseus growled as he grabbed Alenko the collar of his hard-suit and hauled him bodily off the ground, the cybernetics in his hands nearly crushing the armored collar. 

“I thought I could make it if I pushed myself a bit.” Alenko whimpered as his head swam with pain from the migraine he had. 

“You never push yourself like that unless there is no other choice while in the field, you always keep some in reserve for back up and you NEVER and I mean NEVER risk the lives of your squad mates like that for no good reason!” Odysseus snarled and dropped the biotic and stalked away in disgust. 

The battle field was never a place to pull stunts like that unless there was no choice. Eris neared the machine as she got closer the machine suddenly snagged her in a grav field and pulled her in, Odysseus saw her get snagged and ran to help but when he grabbed her he found himself hauled into the arm as well. The machine pushed a fractured set of memories into their mind but the machine old and damaged was unable to bear passing the message to two beings at once and exploded hurling the pair back and knocking them out cold.


	2. citadel part one

Just like when they were children when one started to wake in the same room so did the other, Odysseus came awake after a nightmare that put anything he had ever experienced to shame. Eris stirred with a moan causing the group of people in the room to jump and run to the beds, both Kaidan and Ashely along with captain Anderson and the medic Dr. Chakwas were there. Both of the twins noticed a the same time they were watching the world without their masks on and quickly before anything else searched for them, Chakwas having treated them both many time before had left the masks on the bedside table seeing them the pair had them on so fast it was a blur for those watching. 

“Wow I have never seen anyone want to hide a face as pretty as yours so much it’s a shame.” Alenko said to Eris, as Kaidan had developed a bit of a crush on the woman as she lay knocked out. 

“Hate being blind my mask is a small price to pay, and if looks matter to you I don’t want you.” Eris said with a surprising amount of venom, Eris had endured one too many guys coming on to her over her body and many just wanted the bragging rights of having seen her bare face, Odysseus just nodded with his sister white hair gleaming in the harsh light of the med bay.

“Alright I need to talk to the Shepherds about the mission so everyone not medical out.” Anderson order after the pair of marines left he turned back to find the twins had disappeared behind changing screens to dress in their causal clothes that still had the mask covering everything except the hair on their heads. 

Eris’s hair came down in a thick braid down her back ending at the bottom of her shoulder blades while Odysseus’s hair was a thick but buzz cut mane of snow white hair that they both shared. Their casual clothes were really a pair of modified quarrian enviro suits. Eris’s suit was a base colour of royal blue with gold banding and swirling patterns in the shape of leaves on the lengths of bright green cloth that wrapped around her form making the appearance of a tight strapped toga with a hood that she had just finished pulling up, around her body was many belts with pouches and bandoliers. Odysseus’s suit was a similar pattern but the colours were a base of violet with blood red sashes with bright sliver banding and flame outline embroidery, the sashes were tied in a way to give the appearance of shorts and hooded tunic. The fact that this was there casual wear showed just how different they wear from standard soldiers due to the work they did they were allowed to wear what they wanted as long as it did not interfere with their missions.

The twins told Anderson about the vision they had both seen they even linked their gray boxes to see if together it made sense, it did not. “Damn without evidence the council will not likely believe us about Saren.” Anderson growled then sighed “Tell Joker to bring us in to dock when we reach the citadel then grab Alenko and Williams and get ready to meet me at the embassy.” 

“Why did you bring her aboard anyway sir? Not that I am complaining I like her she followed orders well even after watching her team get butchered. Hey can we replace Alenko with my sister and her?” Odysseus asked. 

“I brought her as Jenkins replacement she was there and we needed someone qualified to replace Jenkins and no I am bringing your sister aboard but not to replace Alenko.” Anderson said, he may not know everything in the files about the twins but he had been a family friend for years and knew them well, knowing what Alenko did it was no wonder why Odysseus and his sister want him off the ship. They hated people who risked others because they did not know their limits.

After a last minute check up by the doctor they exited the bay and enter the mess, they did not mind the med bay as the doctor there was an old family friend who had actually deliver the twins when their mother and Chakwas served on the same ship. Odysseus and his sibling were very odd in their interactions with others people thought them cold and harsh and on the battle field that was true but off the field they were generally easy going wise cracking sarcastic people, what the crew thought was him being cold was him being professional and maintain a distance from those who he would not be serving on the battle field with so that no one would mourn them.

Seeing Williams just outside the med bay they walked over. “Hey chief you did not have to wait for us, I know we are just that awesome but it is not needed.” Odysseus called as they approached and Williams jumped at the sound of his voice. 

“What my fool of a brother means is we hope you are well and waiting to see us and not needing the doctor for anything.” Eris said in an annoyed voice 

“Is that not what I said?” Odysseus said laughing as he moved to leave calling over his shoulder “Chief could you please tell Alenko to get ready to go dock side when we reach the citadel as we need to report to the ambassador what happened you are coming as well chief so meet us on the bridge before we dock with Alenko so we can go together.” With that he round the corner and vanished in a shimmer of light as he cloaked. 

“Does he do that a lot?” asked Ashely 

“What back bad jokes or cloak at random times?” 

“Both” 

“Yes to both he likes to cloak right before he leaves then takes a different route so no one knows where he is to set a trap also keeps his skills sharp and the troops on their toes.” Eris said with a tilt of her head that made Ashely think that she was smirking before she to vanished in a shimmer of light, sighing she went to collect the lieutenant thinking that she finally gets a ship assignment and meets her heroes only to find out that outside the field of battle they were insane.

As Ashely enter the cockpit she looked out the window and saw the destiny ascension. “Wow would you look at the size of that ship!” she exclaimed. 

“Size isn’t everything you know.” Joker said 

“Why so touchy Joker.” 

“I am just saying you need power to.” 

“The main gun on that thing could tear through the shields on any ship in the fleet.” 

“Hey don’t forget you also need good shields otherwise you’re a glass cannon.” Odysseus said from beside Joker as he removed his cloak making Ashely jump and let out a girlish squeak. 

“Did you just squeak? That is so cute can we keep her please!” Eris pleading as she also shimmered into existence Ashely did not squeak this time barely though. 

Shaking his head at their childish antics, Kaidan could not believe that the man wearing the black mask with glowing purple lines could be so childish here but some kind of demon on the ground, it made Kaidan dislike him as he was not what the ‘lion’ of Elysium should be he thought bitterly.

After the meeting with the ambassador undina concluded they exited the room and stopped to recap before heading to the council tower to speak to the council. “Well at least he is still the same arse as always.” Odysseus said dryly 

“You know him sir?” Ashely asked with a tilt of her head. 

“Yeah the rat has blown more than one mission for me and my brother dear as he will back stab us and leave us high and dry if it suits him.” Eris said bitterly as a few of those times he pulled support teams and extraction teams out of their area just to impress some other rat had nearly gotten her, her brother and their teams killed or worse. 

As they reached the lobby they grabbed a cab to the tower, the team was still in their off duty wear. When they reached the base of the tower about to grab an elevator up they were stopped by c-sec. “move along suit rats your kind are not welcome in the council tower go back to the wards were you belong or better yet get off the station.” A Turian with black colony markings growled accompanied by a bare faced Turian both wearing C-sec armor, the marines stopped and looked around for the quarian’s the Turian had been speaking to. 

“Yeah you the suit rats in red and green.” The bare faced one said Clearly mad that he had to back his partner up. 

Odysseus now having confirmed that they were talking to himself and his sister turn and spoke. “Are the eyes in your head just for decoration or are you so stupid that you can’t tell a human and quarrian apart?” He asked in a tone the said he believed it was the later. 

“Why you little ape.” The one with black markings said moving forwards to the twins but they were already moving to the elevator and stepping in. 

“sorry meeting with the council would love to stay and chat but can’t, come on marines we have a meeting to get to.” Eris said in a falsely cheerful tone waving the other marines in to the elevator and closing it in the face of the officer. 

“Wow that was rude!” Ashely said mad on behalf of the commanders. 

“Ah that was nothing, sometimes those type of assholes just hit you then tell you to move.” Eris said in a bored tone. 

“Yeah it is even worse if you really are quarian because then their justified in doing it as the quarian race created the geth or that is what those people who do those things say anyway.” Odysseus tacked on in the same tone. 

Ashely shook her head she may not like aliens but she hated being cruel just because of some ones species or appearance. As they got out of the elevator they came across a pair of Turian’s fighting over saren, one in C-sec armor with blue colony markings and visor over his left eye the other was a turian in black clothes that marked him as the head of C-sec. as the fight broke up the first turian came up and introduced himself as garrus and explained he had tried to find proof the saren was crooked but could not get the classified files to prove it after wishing them better luck he left. 

“Stop staring at his ass Eris you’ll drool in your mask.” Odysseus remarked with a tilt of his head and a smirk in his voice. 

“OH like you wouldn’t if he was a she or both a she and a quarian?” she responded with the same tone with the same tilt to her head before moving purposefully forward with her brother on her heals leaving two very stunned marines to catch up.

“Wait did I hear that right you two prefer to chase dextro’s?” Ashely asked very confused, while Alenko somehow managed to look like he was mad and like he was a kicked puppy. 

“Have we already reached the point in our comradery that we can ask about sexual preferences? Goodie I will tell you mine if you tell me yours?” Odysseus said in a teasing voice. 

Ashley blushed bright red realising where and what she was asking and just how personal what she was asking is. “Sorry Commanders I did not mean to offend it just caught me off guard.” 

“Oh we’re not offended and the offer still stands.” Eris spoke for the both of them. 

“In that case I chase men when they catch my eye.” Ashley said because now that the offer was there she should seize it or look like a hypocrite or fool. 

“Alright fair is fair I myself prefer turians over quarian and both of them over humans and either male or female with leaning to males.” Eris said cheerfully with a snipping skip to face Ashely as she spoke. 

“And I am the exact opposite, I prefer quarian to turian and female to male.” Odysseus not turning around But Ashely knew he could see her as the twins had explained on the ride over about the camera and sensor all over the suit that patched into the mask.

To say the meeting went badly would be an understatement as they nearly cost themselves more than they gained. After hearing their orders and options the four marines stepped to the side to make a plan of attack. 

“All right here is what I am thinking we split up, the girls head to chora’s den while Alenko and I pay my old friend the info broker a visit.” Odysseus said. 

“Are you sure about sending the ladies there it is not a place for ladies to be?” Alenko who despite hearing from her own mouth she would rather a man with a fringe he still had a crush on the female Shepard. 

“It’s sweet of you to be concerned about Ashely’s innocence but I am no lady never have been and never will be, so unless Ashely has a problem I am fine besides I have been too far worse places than that place.” Eris teased 

“I have been too far worse than a citadel strip club.” Ashely piped up. 

With that settle the women and men started off after making a brief chat with a salarian who was scanning keepers the commanders agreed to help telling the other it was for the poker night pool fund. The men enter the elevator while the women ordered a cab to the wards, it was time to hunt the twins thoughts echoing each other with matching predatory grins this is what they lived for the hunt chase and prize, it was what made them the best in the galaxy at their jobs.


	3. find the evidence

Chapter three: find the evidence 

Odysseus and Kaidan made their way to the financial district looking for Barla von the information broker, Kaidan watched his commander who walked around drawing looks either for the fact he carried a shotgun strapped to the back of his hips or the fact that he was masked and wearing a modified violet quarian suit with red sashes with silver embroidery in flame patterns. 

“Commander you said you know this guy Barla?” Kaidan asked surprised that the commander knew a high class info broker with known connections to the infamous shadow broker. 

“Yeah I do, the alliance often has me working solo for deniability reasons so when I need info on a target I asked a good broker and Barla is one of the best.” Odysseus said all business now that he was in the field. Kaidan did not like the fact that Shepard did work that the alliance had to deny they had a part in. 

They entered the info broker’s office, behind a low desk sat the volus Barla In his dark brown round billon like enviro suit. 

“Commander. What I pleasure. What can I do for you?” Barla spoke taking a deep breath every few words like all volus he could not breathe normal air and so must breathe through a tanked air supply. 

“I need proof that the specter Saren was responsible for the attack on Eden prime.” Commander said already running a mental tab on how much this was going to hurt his wallet as Barla was anything but cheap in any sense. 

“You know normally. This information would cost a small. Fortune but Saren has done something. Stupid he broke a deal and angered the shadow broker. Also a man named fist has left the broker. And sided with Saren.” Shepard whistled as he had done business with the broker many times for the alliance as point of contact he knew the power the broker had and the danger Saren and this fist was now in. 

“So I am giving you this for free. A krogan named Wrex has been hired to kill fist. And fist has a deal lined up to get. The proof you’re looking for and destroy it. You can find Wrex at C-sec.” Barla continued. 

“Thanks Barla I will be back if I need anything else, come on Alenko we have a Krogan to find.” Shepard order as he turned and head out the door for C-sec.

_______________________________________________________

Eris walked into Chora’s den with Ashley on her right flank. “Million light years from where humanity began and you can still walk into a bar to see strippers shaking their asses on a stage, I don’t know if that is sad or impressive?” Ashley said as they entered the club. 

“Impressive as it shows just how much all races have common, now focus you can come back and get a lap dance when you off duty.” Eris deadpans, Eris and her brother may be cold in field but they still used dry humour so not to be harsh on the troops. 

Ashley blushed red and sputtered at the comment but Eris was already moving towards the back, on the way in they had seen a Krogan being hauled to C-sec for threating the owner. They found Harkin in the back of the bar area and Eris hated him right away from the read outs on her mask she was glad it block smells or she could have gotten drunk just standing near him. 

“You Harkin? I am looking for Garrus turian from C-sec?” Eris asked in a cool voice. 

“Hey baby why not lose the mask and sit in uncle Harkin’s lap and have a drink and I may tell you where garrus is.” Harkin said in a sleazy voice leering at the tight wrap of the green and gold sashes that cover her suit giving the illusion of a short tight skirt and sleeveless hooded top that came down to just below her modest bust. 

Eris bent as if to adjust her boots then shot up seizing Harkin by the throat lifting out of the chair and slamming him on to the table. The enhancements in her upper arms, shoulders and back making it possible to do it with ease using only one hand. Before anyone could react she had her boot knife press against Harkins nut sack. 

“Tell me now! Or I cut you pathetic balls off and feed them to a varren!” Eris ordered, someone in the bar wolf whistle but otherwise nobody did anything but go back to their drinks. 

As they left Harkin in a pool of his own piss on a table Eris smirked at how fast he had changed from cocky sleaze to pants pissing baby. “Damn Commander that was Awesome, that was like something you see in vids.” Ashley said gushing slightly. 

“Yeah but don’t tell anyone about that my discipline file is large enough thank you, Now let’s go get me a turian.” Eris said moving to order a cab as she call Odysseus to update him.

Odysseus reached C-sec with Kaidan just in time to see Wrex getting released. Shepard the Battle master noting by Krogan standards he looked tough as hell with the scars and hump the sized it was showed he was in good health and had seen his share of fighting. 

“You Wrex?” Odysseus asked 

“Who’s asking? Wait I know you, your commander Shepard what do you want?” Wrex growled at the wiry human dress like a quarian. 

“Yeah I am and I am going after fist he has info that I want and I thought to myself ‘seek the enemy of my enemy and I will find a friend’ so what do you say want to partner up, you give me time with fist to get the info I need then you get to do what you want with him and you keep the bounty deal?” the sashed human said, Wrex looked at him really looked at him and saw that he carried the aura of an ambush predator that made Wrex’s instincts flare saying this tiny pyjack would most like kill him if he did not agree just to prevent future problems. 

“Deal.” 

Eris called her brother, “Bro I found out where garrus is he is at the clinic in the wards meet me there ASAP.” 

“All right I got a new ally a Krogan named urdnot Wrex he wants fist who has the info we need so I will meet you then we’ll grab you your turian then go grab the info watch yourself though I saw some gun men earlier.” The call ended and just as they rounded the corner they fell under fire. 

diving for cover Eris cloaked with ash diving behind the cover on the opposite side of the hallway. Eris pulled her sniper rifle and saw Ashley pull an Assault rifle and open fire on the trio of gun men. Eris fired taking a shooter in the head once ash dropped his shields the turian’s head exploded from the force of the rifle shot blue blood painting his allies, and so it continued until the last merc fell in a fountain of blood. A quick search of the bodies for loot revealed two things these were pros and they would make a decent quick buck off the weapons they just looted. 

Odysseus reach the cab station next to clinic just as his sister and Ashley jumped out of a cab. They gave each other a quick sitrep, before making a plan. 

“Alright here is the game plan Eris and I will cloak and enter as soon as the doors open if nothing is wrong we’ll decloak but if something is wrong give us time to get into position then fire as soon as we fire, understood?” Odysseus asked when the all nodded he and Eris cloaked and the group opened the doors.

Garrus was crouched behind a half wall trying to figure out a way to get doctor Michel out of the situation she was in as a group of gun men had her hostage and were threating her, Garrus could take them but ran the huge risk that the doc would get caught in the cross fire. The doors opened to reveal a strange group of two alliance soldiers and a krogan. The two alliance soldier were the pair that had been with the twin commanders, so were where they? Garrus felt a pair of touches on his arm, he tensed then realized these were the commanders the touched moved away as garrus nodded. 

“Drop the weapon now!” the female soldier ordered. The thugs split up moving to cover while the lead one grab the doctor. 

“Don’t move or I’ll shoot.” The thug said, making the mistake of moving the gun off the doctor to point at the soldiers. 

“You are stupid you only see three of us right? But there is actually six.” The female spoke again. 

The thugs gun moved away from the soldiers as he scanned the room just then as if mentally link four shots rang out the twins having snuck around to behind the group and shooting the pair in cover in the back of the head while garrus had leapt from cover the moment the gun’s barrel was clear of friendlies shooting the thug in the head and Ashley seeing garrus move and take the lead thug she shot the last thug that was out of cover.  
Garrus stood watch the masked humans shimmer into being, “Good shot you took him down clean laddie.” The slight masked female said. 

Garrus found her accent strange he had never heard a human with it but it sound oddly pleasing, “Thanks sometimes you get lucky.” Garrus said not wanting to come off as bragging. 

“And yet you need skill to make the luck possible.” The masked male said. 

“Are you alright doctor Michel?” Garrus asked looking the human female over for wounds, her face turned oddly red and Garrus wondered why but before he could ask the masked male spoke again. 

“What did they want doctor.” The doctor went on to explain about the quarian and a deal she thought she was making in person with the shadow broker. 

“That would never happen, I have been a client for years and have never once seen his face even on vid screen.” The masked female said, that made Garrus’s mandibles flutter a bit in shock he had not expected the female commander to be a client of the broker but now that he thought about it made sense given that he knew that both of the twins were most likely black ops.

“Alright time to go visit fist I guess.” The masked female said starting to move towards the door. 

“Commanders wait please, I would like to join your op.” Garrus said quickly before his window closed he was not letting Saren get away and he want to be a part of it. 

“Alright but can you follow orders?” the male mask said. 

‘alright so he is the first and she is the second.’ Garrus thought “I am turian sir.” Garrus responded only to see both commanders shaking their heads. 

“Not what I asked Vakarian, I asked if you can follow orders not what species you are. I don’t hold to stereotypes and I hope you don’t as well.” The male asked said. 

“Yes I can follow orders commander.” Garrus said saluting. 

“Good refer to me as commander or Odysseus and this is my sister Eris Shepard in field you will refer to her as Eris or Shepard, this is staff lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, gunnery chief Ashely Williams and urdnot Wrex.” 

“Understood commander.” 

“Good let’s move out I want to talk with this fist character.”

Odysseus study the turian as they jogged to the club, he was of average height for his race meaning he was tall even taller than Odysseus standing nearly seven feet. Meaning he dwarfed his sister who was jogging next to garrus at five foot five. They reached the club to find it locked tight. 

“Well guess this means he knows we’re coming.” Eris said scanning the door and sending the info to Odysseus. 

”Alright right here is the plan, Wrex you and Ashley will advance taking out any contacts in the front while garrus and Alenko cover you. Eris and I will advance under cloak to flank them with overload and energy shield drains. Right?” Odysseus laying out the battle plan. 

Once the time moved to a safe distance Odysseus cloaked and popped the lock and let Wrex and Ashley move forward into position when they were ready he remote opened the door.

The guards opened fire at once but the strong shields and armor gave the front lines time to get to cover and start firing back with Alenko and Vakarian using warps and sniper fire to keep many of the foes under cover. While the fight was going on nobody the cloaked figures moving to flank, they dropped their cloaks to unleash overloads frying many fire arms for a short time but that was all that was needed for the two pros to unleash carnage from behind, Odysseus used his shotgun with incendiary ammo while Eris used her SMG with cryo ammo they made quick work of the thugs. When the last one fell the room was torn to shreds by the thug’s gun fire and the smell of burnt flesh wafted through the air while shards of frozen thugs lay over the floor. 

They entered the back room and were confronted with a pair of dock workers who when given the chance ran for their lives. 

“Would have been easier to kill them.” Wrex grumbled. 

Eris shook her head “No this way they will blow it out of proportion and make it easier down the road to scare people into giving up.” 

Wrex looked at her with new found respect for her fore sight and garrus also looked impressed. Fist tried to stop them with auto turrets that Odysseus and Eris quickly hacked and had shoot each other causing them to explode knocking fist down. Eris leapt across the room and kicked the gun out of fists hand before rolling him on to his stomach and pinned his arms.

Garrus watch Eris fly across the room as if spring loaded, after fist was pinned the commander slowly while in fists line of sight pulled a razor sharp molecule knife off his thigh and began playing with it as he slowly moved forward to fist. Garrus realized it was an act Eris played the powerful slightly crazed second and the commander was the cold monster that held her leash, just because it was an act didn’t mean it wasn’t working even on Garrus gone were the twins with cold but dry humor in their place was a pair of nearly feral cold as space cruel monsters. 

“Now fist where is the quarian with the information on Saren?” Odysseus said in a voice that was horrifyingly devoid of emotion except icy malice. 

“Fuck you why should I tell you anything?!” Fist yelled the commander just raised his head to look at his squad another it of theater garrus knew as both twins with their mask saw in a perfect sphere when they wanted. 

“Anyone who wants plausible deniability please the room now or if you don’t have the stomach for torture.” Eris said in a voice that unlike the commanders was a happy sing song voice, both the soldiers paled while Garrus made himself look disturbed knowing it was an act. 

After that the knife just moving near him had fist break down and telling everything once they had what they wanted garrus saw Eris grab some OSD chips. A shot pierce the air as Wrex killed fist and none moved as the commander had told them what Wrex was going to do. 

“Let’s move I want that quarian alive and unharmed!” Odysseus snapped, they had a brief fight to get out of the club but before anyone could raise a gun at them a pair of high power arc grenades flew through the air and shock the guards with a combat drone flying out after them as Odysseus flew into battle with shotgun blazing killing the remain thugs before they got more than a pair of shots that missed by a mile off. 

“Come on we have no time to lose.” Odysseus snapped before jogging off with his sister in tow. 

“Ha I knew I like this human for a reason!” Wrex laughed before charge after them leaving the remaining three to catch up it was in that moment Garrus realized just how dangerous the twins could be and vowed never to get on their bad side, little did he know the soldiers were thinking the exact same thing.


	4. masks collide

Tali'Zorah Nar Rayya was really starting to regret hunting those geth, the data she had gotten off it had been nothing but trouble first it got she shot and chased through the wards now she had a felling this deal was about to suffer a hull breach. A grey skinned turian with no markings came up to her. 

“You have the data?” he said and something in his sub vocals alerted her to the danger. 

“Where’s fist, where’s the broker?” She asked tensing slightly 

“They’ll be here.” The turian said brushing a hand along her helm “Now where’s the data?” 

Tali slapped his hand away “No way, deal’s off.” 

She saw a pair of armored salarians coming up behind her pistols raise. She threw a flash bang and dove to the side for cover while pulling out her shotgun, now grateful for those pilgrim lessons they make you take. Just as she braced herself to take as many as she could with her or by some miracle escape she saw the turian aim his rifle at her, but before she could do more than start to dodge the shooters head exploded in a fountain of blue blood and bone. 

A krogan came charging and flattened one of the salarians killing it with a viscous stomp to the chest that when the krogan’s foot lifted there was a clear indent in the shape of his foot. Another shoot rang out from down the alleyway the last salarian’s head sprouted a large hole that Tali feeling ill could see clean through.

There was a shimmer of light as some dropped their tactical cloak, as first glance Tali thought she had been save by another pair of quarians but looking closer she saw it was a masked human male and female. The sound of running feet made Tali swing her gun in that direction in time to see another turian this one wearing C-sec armor come running followed by a another pair of humans these ones in the armor of the alliance. 

“Whoa there lassie their on my side and I’m on your side!” the human male called out, Tali took a moment to notice his odd way of speaking and how nice his voice sound with that strange rumble into making it almost quarian. 

“I don’t even know you and you claim to be on my side. What do you want?” Tali demand but had lowered and stowed her gun as even with her combat drone Chatika vas Paus and remaining grenades she would not survive a fight with these odds. 

{Let’s start over then eh lassie, I am commander Odysseus’Shepard vas Normandy and this is my sister commander Eris’Shepard vas Normandy, these are lieutenant Kaidan’Alenko vas Normandy and chief Ashley’williams vas Normandy, Garrus’Vakarian vas citadel and Wrex’Urdnot. And we are looking on behalf of the alliance for evidence that proves the specter Saren is a traitor.} Odysseus said. 

Tali’s head was spinning, she must have hit her head or the mild fever she was running was causing her to hallucinate as she would swear a white haired masked in modified quarian armor with a female dressed in similar armor standing next to him just spoke perfect Khelish with an oddly sexy accent.

“Skipper my translator must have glitched as it said you just spoke quarian?” Ashley said. 

{No I am speaking Khelish not quarian that’s like saying you are speaking human when you’re speaking English.} Odysseus still speaking Khelish responded. 

{Brother you are still speaking Khelish again.} the woman named Eris said with the same sexy accent and still in perfect Khelish. 

{keelah! Alright I Cleary hit my head but fine if you want the evidence at least I can replay you with it for saving Me.} switching from common to Khelish from shock. 

{Are you hurt any suit breaches?} Odysseus sounding concerned which just confused Tali even more as why would this human care about a quarian he just met?

The group decided to head to the embassies to transfer evidence rather than out in the open. As they walked to grab a cab -after sending the turian and soldiers back but taking the krogan with them- Tali heard Eris comment 

{you can stop staring at her ass at any time bro} she had said it that if Tali had not had her mics of high she would not have heard it looking she saw that the brother was not even looking in her direction. 

{And just how do you know if I am looking at her ass.} Odysseus counter Tali was finally coming to terms with the fact that the twins seemed to prefer speaking in her native tongue begging the question were they learned to speak it with such ease and just what were they accents? 

{Because you always turn you mask away to give the impression that you’re not staring but you are just using you suit cams.} Eris said, that made Tali trip from shock suit cams where in the home world did these two get that small of suit cams?! 

Tali felt a strong wiry arm wrap around her waist to catch her before she fell flat on her face. {Easy there lassie I have you just watch you step. Maybe keep your camera set facing mainly forward?} Odysseus purred into the main mic pick up {not that I mind catching beautiful ladies as they fall.} 

Tali blushed hard for some reason hearing that close to her and feeling him next her she could almost imagine his body heat.  
Odysseus kept an eye on the young lady as they entered the ambassadors office, “Commander what are you thinking a fire fight in the streets an all-out assault on Chora’s den, and just who is this?” Undina ranted. 

“If you shut up for three seconds I would tell this young lady has proof of Saren’s betrayal.”spoke in a tone just shy of court martial worthy. 

After a brief chat they were wrapping up when the ambassador said “What about the quarian?” 

Tali bristled at being called that “I have a name its Tali’Zorah Nar Rayya, and I want to join the commander.” 

Turning to face Odysseus “Please let me come I want to help and you have seen I don’t crack under pressure.” Tali hated how close to begging she sound but if they were going after the geth then that would be her best chance at finding a gift for pilgrimage. 

The commander tilted his masked head {I assume this in the understanding that any data on the geth we find you get as a pilgrimage gift and that you are hoping for something showing how they have evolved since they left you?} Tali was stunned that he figured it out so quickly again she found herself wondering how these twins knew so much about her people, stunned she could only nod. 

{That is fine with me I could always use another tech on my squad and down in the engine bay.} she could not believe her ears he just offered to let her work in the engine bay without hesitation.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Later that day after being named the first pair of human specters Eris had used pull strings and get Garrus transferred to her service for her mission, ‘if Odysseus gets his quarian I get my turian.’ She thought standing cloaked in the head of C-sec’s office waiting for him to bring in Garrus to give him news of the transfer. The doors opened and in walked the chief followed by her new sharp shooter.

Garrus was sitting in the break room catching up of the mountain of paper work this day produced, he had seen the news vid were the commanders were named the first human specters and the first pair of sibling specters. They had down played their role for the camera pushing how the aliens who helped them deserved credit as well and personal thanked thank of air by name, his co-workers congratulated and mocked him in equal measure. 

“Vakarian my office now!” the chief barked, garrus followed him quickly thinking that because of the personal thank you live from the first human specter he would not get in to much trouble at least he hope. He sat down and waited. 

“Your being transferred effective immediately pack up your desk by the end of you shift.” The chief said never one to mince words. 

“What I help prove Saren is a traitor and I am punished what for?” Garrus could not believe this after all the work he was being taken off field duty as this was the only field section. 

“Not my call order call from way above my pay grade to ask questions of why.” the captain explained. 

“Really who has it out for me that bad?” Garrus could not believe this sure he and the chief had their difference but he thought that the chief would have fought for him if for no other reason than Garrus got the job done.

“That would be me.” A voice whispered in his ear hole, causing Garrus to bolt up out of his chair spinning and drawing his pistol in one smooth motion. 

A laugh like ringing bells sounded as a shimmer rose and fell revealing Eris standing there arms crossed in front of her chest with her hips jutted out to the left. “What?” Was all Garrus could say. 

“You are coming with me as part of my ground team aboard the Normandy here is the dock pass code and id be there no later than 0800 tomorrow morning with you bags pack and ready, also it is bring you own weapons and armor so pull what you need from the C-sec armory if needed it has already been cleared, see you later hotshot.” Eris said before shimmering back out of sight with the doors opening and closing on their own, Garrus was left with his head spinning wondering what he had gotten himself into this time.


	5. behiend the twins masks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the story of the twins beginning told by Odysseus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here is the site for the orginal conpect for tail i used it for the base of my quarian race as i reject bio wares final one.  
> http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-czWJyZfhaG0/Ue6k3fs2R3I/AAAAAAAAA-0/DTmbUkO83aU/s1600/quarian-model.jpg

Odysseus was walking to the Normandy having just bought some dextro desserts as a thanks for Tali and Garrus for their help, he already got something for Wrex. Coming out of the elevator what he saw set his blood boiling there was his new quarian and from the looks of it about to be arrested by a pair of human C-sec officers near the elevator to the Normandy’s bay, stalking over he hear something that doomed the pair of officers. 

“Get out of here you filthy suit-rat before I run you in for vagrancy.” The first officer who was black and bald. 

“Yeah or maybe we should take her stuff it’s probably stole.” The second officer who had short blond hair and white skin said with a cruel grin. 

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU”RE DOING?” Shepard roared at the top of his voice with his speakers boosting it even louder, the officers jumped and turned then paled when they saw one of the first human specters stalking towards them with murder oozing from his pores. 

“This quarian suit-rat was trying to break into your docking bay sir!” the black one said, the officer doubled over from Odysseus punching him in the gut with his armored fist the officer dropped to the ground wheezing in pain, Odysseus then grabbed him by the collar and dragged him up so his face was level with his mask and spoke in a low voice his rage now cooled from the punch it hard become steel rather than flame. 

“Now listen here fuckhead and listen good cause I am not going to repeat myself, the lady here is a member of my crew and has the proper codes to enter the bay! Now you and your friend are going to get on your knees bow your heads and apologize to hear for what you said then you coming with me to talk with your boss about behavior unbecoming of an officer.” Odysseus growled his accent become think from rage. 

He dropped the officer, the officers scrambled to obey and after they had apologised he turn to Tali. “Are you alright and if so could you come with me, I want to show you how I deal with speciest assholes.” Tali just nodded out of shock at the display of rage she had just seen on her behalf.

Odysseus dragged the officers to a turian named captain chelek, and shoved the officers into the office. “Captain I overheard your officers making derogatory and specieist comment towards a member of my crew and would like to know what you intend to do?” Odysseus snarled in a cold hard voice showing his displeasure. 

Chelek looked at the pair of officers in question these two had been a pain in his side for months this was not the first time they had pulled something but Chelek could not doing anything before since they had been minor cases and their family’s bride C-sec to keep them out of trouble but now that they had pissed off one of the first human specter Chelek had everything he need to fire them. 

“You two have pulled this stuff to many times now pack your things and turn in you weapons you’re fired.” Chelek said 

“You can’t fire us our parents pay you people enough that you can’t.” the blonde gloated, only to freeze when the cold voice of the specter came from behind him. 

“Let me make this clear you assholes take his offer of being fired in disgrace or I pull my specter rank and kill you both here and now.” Odysseus said he would not actually kill them but he knew their type they would take the deal. “Ok we’ll take the deal please don’t hurt us.” Odysseus turned and left without a word with Tali following her knew captain even more confused than before.

____________

Odysseus entered the elevator with Tali at his side and he felt shame this was exactly what his teacher warned about his temper if he was not careful could get him killed, his rage was quick and short lived as it was hot. 

“I am sorry about that I should have handled that differently I would you rather not think of me as a violent monster, I just saw and heard what was happening and it made my blood boil.” Odysseus said with great remorse. 

Tali felt confused this human was strange but now was one of the best chances to help her unravel the mystery that was Odysseus Shepard. “It is alright I liked how you stood up for me even if it was a bit much, but why did it bother you so much?” Tali asked as they got of the elevator. 

“I tell you what to understand that you have to learn a lot about me and my sister and more importantly how we got our biotic talents, so how about we go down to the galley and I tell you the story over some dessert I have ice cream for me and you have a choice between four different kinds of turian chocolates all sterilized.” Odysseus said as they enter the ship and waited for the air lock to cycle. 

“Why do you have sterile turian chocolate?” Tali asked “I got it as a thank you gift for all of your help today.” Odysseus replied stopping to throw something to the pilot. 

“Here you go joker I win the bet pay up.” Joker looked stunned at the magazine in his lap Tali looked at it and blush behind her mask for in the lap of the pilot was a copy of Fornax not just any issue it was a special edition with a quarian female on the cover, why did the commander make a bet about something like that. 

“Why does this win you the bet demo?” “Open the center fold.” Was his reply, Joker opened the center fold and Tali blushed harder than she had ever blushed for there was a fully naked quarian female. 

The female skin was eggshell white with a serpentine nose and purple lip stick on thin lips with her face markings like a fan around her eyes which had black where a human had white and purple pupils. “Wow ok you win, I get you your credits by tomorrow. Can I keep this?” Joker ask hopefully 

“not on your life.” Odysseus said snagging it back. “You have no idea how much it took to find this edition mine got burned when someone set fire to my old safe house.” Odysseus called over his shoulder as he walked away towards the stairs. 

Tali ran to catch up with the captain bursting with question that event had caused. “Just what was the bet that you needed a picture of a naked female quarian to win?” Tali asked catching up with him as he descended into the galley. 

“Oh that it was a bet as to what kind of nose quarian had, the reason for the full nude was that was the only picture I had ever seen with a quarian without their mask.” Odysseus said “Sorry if that offended you I just had been trying to collect on that bet for half a year now.” 

“And just how did you know about that photo?” 

“Oh, switch to this channel and shut off your external speak and I will tell you.” Odysseus said sending her a channel code and Tali did as he asked as she was burning to know the answer for some reason she felt jealous of the woman in the picture. 

Once the channel was opened Odysseus said “it is simple really, I was the one who took the photos for that edition at one point for a mission I work under cover at Fornax and was picked for my understanding of quarian culture and Khelish.” 

{Wait you took that photo in the room with her!} Tali could not believe her ears, the commander had seen in person a quarian unsuited. {Yeah it was a humbling honor.}

They reached the galley and Odysseus closed the channel and switch topics, still peaking Khelish. {So you want to know why I have a strong reaction to speciesism towards quarians, that dates back to my child hood.} 

at that moment Ashley came up and asked to sit with them having heard what the commander had said and wanting to hear the story as well, at his nod she sat next to Tali so she could see the commander. Odysseus pulled out a small dish of butterscotch ice-cream for himself and passing the bag to Tali who pulled out the turian equivalent of milk chocolate. He started but still spoke in Khelish for Tali as it was for her he was telling the story.

{it all starts just after my father died in and explosion that left me and Eris with our biotic talents and the enhancements in my hands and her back and upper arms, the reason for the enhancements was that those parts of our bodies were shredded in the blast but that is a story for another time.} he said stopping to reach up to his mask and touched a hidden latch with a hiss of decompression he pulled the lower half of his mask off. 

Ashley had seen his face before but Chakwas had stopped her and Alenko from getting near saying that the twins hate people seeing their faces. Odysseus lived up to his name sake in skin tone at least his skin despite being cover by a mask at all time as a smooth olive. Tali found the skin tone suited him, Odysseus took a bit of his ice cream ignoring the stares of the crew around them.  


{After dad died when we were barely 6 mom threw herself into work rarely coming home and leaving us on the station when she went on assignment. By seven my sister and I had recovered and became experts at escaping our baby sitters, one day we got lost and nearly sold into slavery when we came across a group of batarians.} Pausing Odysseus took another few bits before continuing much to ash and Tali’s impatience. 

{So there we are about to be dragged off to who knows where when out of nowhere a pair shotgun blast go off throwing the thugs back and the light around my sister and I shimmer and there looking to mind child mind like great angels of justice were a pair of quarian’s in battle armor.} he paused again to eat some more. 

‘bosh ‘Tet he is doing it on purpose’ Tali thought and she was right as Odysseus was having too much fun doing this. 

{Anyway the pair drive of the slavers with the help of a pair of trained hunting varren that had come bolting around the corner. After reaming us out for wander around alone they asked were our parents were and when we told them they took pity on us and took us with them for the day until they went near the station offices, after a great deal of whining on mine and Eris’s part we got them to agree to visit the next day as that had been the happiest we had been in a year.} he stopped to eat the last few scopes of ice-cream and put his lower mask on much to the disappointment of Tali and ash. {the next day we spent all day with them and learned they were bounty hunters who had left the fleet after their relationship became public and they were force to either divorce or leave the fleet they chose to leave the fleet as much as it hurt them to do so, it turned out they always wanted kids and after a day dealing with a pair of kids already outfitted with grey boxes to help manage the biotic powers they decided to help raise us when they were on the station which was a lot as they used it as a base. {So after that they raised us eventually being named our god parents and taking custody of us. We then travelled with them from the ages of 15 to about 18 helping them hunt bounties and being trained by them until we entered flight school at 18, they had started train us the day they found us so we were leaps and bounds better than the other recruits except Joker in flight training he was the only one to beat us in flight school.} Demo finshed

“Wow skipper that explains a lot, like why you wear what you wear and how you know so much about tech.” Ashley said thinking that she understood now why the skipper and Eris were like no one she had ever met. 

{that explains why you are so defensive towards quarians.} Tali said think that so many pieces fell into place about the commanders knowing they had been all but raised by quarian women it was not odd that they spoke Khelish as a first language. 

After Taki finished eating Odysseus took her on a tour of the lower levels of the ship after introducing her to doctor Chakwas who was very friendly and knew a lot about quarian physiology. When they reach the cargo bay. She saw the cargo team moving a mako out of the cargo hold had two other vessel waiting to be moved into the hold. 

When they got the mako out they started to load a small A-61 mantis gunship in, Odysseus yelled across the bay.“Careful you so much as scratch the paint on my baby I will have you cleaning latrines for the rest of your natural life.” turning to Tali. 

{They had wanted me and my sister to drive a mako can you believe that the horror having the second and third best ship pilots in the alliance drive a mako?} Odysseus shuddered. 

{Really second and third who is the best then?} Tali asked finding it odd that he would not try and brag high than second. 

{You already met him Joker is the best pilot out there.} Odysseus explained. 

The second ship they were loading was a ut-45 Kodiak, Odysseus explained that how it would work is that he and whoever he his co-pilot would be would fly the mantis out first and act as escort for the shuttle and the rest of the ground team and the shuttle would be piloted by Eris.

They toured the rest of the bay showing Tali where to store her armor and when Shepard told her to open it she found something amazing. Inside was a high grade quarian shotgun with full mid-grade purple quarian armor designed to go over top of her suit and a mask cover designed with slits in it for eye so no stray round cracked her mask. 

{Keelah this is far too much Odysseus I can’t accept this.} Tali side wishing more than anything so could accept it but was far more than she could afford to pay him back for. 

{You can and you will Tali I am not going to let you go into battle with the low grade armor you have now. Besides all this cost me was the price of the paint job and tune up, this belonged to one of my mothers but she got a better set and put this in storage. When I called her and asked she said she would be proud if she old armor helped a member of the fleet stay safe and complete her pilgrimage.} Odysseus placing his hands on her shoulders and crouching so there makes were level. 

Tali looked at the armor with a new view this was the armor of one of his mothers it must be dear to him and he is giving it to me she thought. {O-OK thank you I will do your mother and you proud in this armor.} she said bowing, Odysseus bowed as well knowing how important gifts like this wear to quarians. 

{I have no fear that you wear this gift with the grace and pride it deserves and that you will make it your own in time.} answered with a warm voice.

The last stop on the tour was the engine bay, entering the bay Odysseus approached an officer whose hands were greasy, seeing the commander he saluted. “At ease Adams I just came by to introduce you to somebody this is Tali’Zorah Nar Rayya, she will be a member of my ground team during missions but when not on ground mission assignments I want her working in here as you second in command if possible.” Odysseus said, it was hard to tell who was more shocked Tali or Adams. 

“Sir are you sure?” “Completely she is a quarian and was trained to be one of their mechanics, test her if you want and if you think she is lacking reassign her but make sure that test is fair as I will be checking.” 

Adams shook his head “No need sir I have worked with a quarian mechanic before if she is half as good I would be lucky to have her as my second. Welcome aboard Tali is you want to start now I will help you get familiar with the system.” 

Tali Turned to looked at Shepard bouncing on her feet a habit that she could not shake from when she was a small child and still did when she was really happy or eager like now when she was both. She could not believe her luck first she gets on a advance warship with promise of copies of any geth data and a spot in the engine bay and now she would have a chance to be placed as second in command if she was dreaming she did not want to wake up. 

{Alright go Adams can show you where to sleep after your shift but if it is too quiet to sleep come to my cabin and wake me no matter the time and I will get you one of my old white noise machines for your helmet to create background noise to sleep by, I need one myself so I have spares, now go have fun but I want to hear about it tomorrow at breakfast and any ideas you have for improvements.} Tali Nodded happily with the conditions and raced after Adams before stopping and bowing low to Shepard who bowed low in return. 

He turned and walked away with a smile under his mask, he realized that he was quickly developing a crush on the sparky little quarian little did he know Tali was thinking similar thoughts about him as she started to look over the read outs.


	6. the sharp shooters tour

The Docking bay entrance opened as 0600 and Garrus was the at 0600 waiting to get up to the Normandy, most would think this is a sign of how much Garrus was trying to suck up to the commanders by being there soon as he could in the morning but it was really that he was eager to be on a mission of galactic security with not one but two specters and the first human ones in history to boot. He would have been aboard last night but there was no time by the time he finished getting his affairs in order it was far too late to show up without disrupting the schedule so badly it would only piss of the commanders and that was most likely the fastest the find himself thrown off the ship. 

Garrus saw that the humans the usually guard the elevator were gone and two of the veterans of the force who were close to retiring-a Asian human and turian were guarding it. 

“Hey guys what happened to the humans who are supposed to guard this place I thought they had this shift all week?” Garrus asked hoping that some happened to them they were a disgrace to the armor. 

“You didn’t hear what happened? how could you miss it everyone was talking about it?” the old human said exchanging a look with his partner. 

“No I have been transferred to the Normandy for the specters mission and was busy get prepared to ship out I was on my way up now, so what happened.” 

“Well you know how those two were always bad mouthing non-humans and being as the humans say assholes, well they made a very bad choice when they started to bother a quarian who was trying to head up to the specter ship when. ” Garrus’s mandibles flared a bit with surprise at the words of the old turian that a quarian had business with the specter ship was surprising. 

“Yeah but apparently she was a new addition to the ground crew, but anyways she is about to head up when they start bothering her and just as they threaten to arrest her and take her stuff the male human specter comes up yelling at them it was something apparently.” The old human said and his partner picked it up as he had seen it. 

“Yeah I had been on my way to break it up when the human came up yelling when he heard what they were doing he sucker punch the closest one in the gut dropping him to the ground then threatened them into apologize to the quarian on their knees then dragged them to Chelak to get them fired.” the Turian spoke with obvious glee. 

“They can’t their parents pay for too much of C-sec’s stuff.” Garrus said thinking that it was wrong and how he wished he could do some about it. 

“Yeah that’s what they thought!” the human picking up the story again a habit Garrus found confusing how they always swapped tellers. 

“But the specter was having none of it and told Chelak to fire them or he would kill them there in the office, they apparently could not agree to being fired fast enough. And the best part about all this was the specter did this all while carrying around a bag from the dessert place that caters only to dextros as if you could find a better example of a specter sticking up for another race besides his own I mean he stood up for a quarian while carrying a bag of dextro desserts they walked her up to the ship himself.” The human finished. 

“Wow I think my new commanders will be making my life very interesting from now on.” Garrus said to the pair as he got in to the elevator and headed up to the ship.

______

Garrus was waiting for the air lock to cycle thinking about the story and how it seemed so odd that a human would stand up for someone that much who was from a race that was looked down by every race in the galaxy. He entered the ship and stopped having how the ship would be laid out and thus had no idea where to go, looking around for someone who did not look so busy that they couldn’t answer a few questions when he heard. 

“Hey Vakarian, good to see you so eager to start you new assignment.” Eris called out to him waving from where she standing next to the man who looked to be a scruffy pilot. 

“Hello Eris I was hoping to find someone who could point me to where I am to store my gear and who I am to report to for on ship assignments.” He said saluting her not knowing how it worked on human ships but figured he best play it safe for now. 

“Alright my shift does not start for another hour I just came to shoot the breeze and catch up with Joker here, so how about I give you the tour and show you where everything you will need it.” Eris said confusing Garrus with the comment about breezes. 

“Thank you commander I am sorry for taking up you time of shift.” Garrus said not having expected the commander to pay much attention to him until the mission got ground side. 

_____----

Eris smiled behind her mask finding the turian’s attempt to talk with a human commander funny, she decided to put him at ease a bit and let him know how things would be running around here now that her brother was promoted to captain and she was to be the new xo replacing Presley who had a mild xenophobic view of how to run a ship, the announcement would come tomorrow when they set off Presley had already been transferred to xo’s assistant still having him aboard for those times when the twins were on ground missions and he would also take care of the upper decks while she managed the lower decks that held the non-human crew members and ground team. 

“At ease solider my brother and I run our ships loose off hours and strict but fair on duty as long as you get you job done well and don’t bother others I don’t care how you acts and no so much on the saluting it gets in the way of the job and the job comes first before all else.” She informed the Turian 

“Yes ma’am” he said. He said at ease now that he knows roughly how to act even if her description was odd but made sense in some ways they would be professional on hours and expect that on hours you job comes first and jokes second and no time is to be wasted on useless protocol.

With that out of the way she introduced Joker to Garrus they got on alright, the crew did not quite know what to make of the new ground team members that had joined the krogan at least kept to himself while the quarian could always found in one of two place usually is seemed either in engineering or at Sheppard’s side talking tech in Khelish so fast that the crew’s translators could only pick up half of the conversation. The turian made some of the older members nervous about someone from a race that was once their enemy aboard. 

The tour took them to the galley where Eris reached into the container labelled ‘Eris’s touch on fear of pain of slow death.’ Written in common and pulled out something ad tossed it to Garrus. Garrus looked at it and was surprised to find turian chocolate, he looked the commander who seemed to watch him through the black mask of her face.

“Why are you giving me chocolate Eris?” he asked looking at the chocolate.

“I am not I was holding it for Odysseus, we decided to get you a small thank you gift for helping us the other day.” Eris said as if it was normal.

After showing Garrus where he would be sleeping and introducing him to the doctor for a basic med scan they moved down to the cargo deck. Exiting the cargo deck Garrus was shocked by what he saw. The bay felt a little cramped as instead of a single vehicle like Garrus had expected was a pair of vehicles packed in on top of each other. There was an F-61 Trident and an ut-47 Kodiak.

“Wow I did not expect to see two ships like that here?” Garrus said amazed, staring at the strange holder that seemed to make have them there possible.

“Yeah when my brother and I were informed that we would be using the Normandy we wanted something that handled better than the mako. We had tried to get a mantis in and it fit but the cargo crew told us they would have to hard a time packing and resupplying it so my brother switched the mantis out for the trident.“ She explained to him.

“So who is going to be working on them?” Garrus asked hoping that he would get the chance to work on the ships that looked to be heavily modified that would be even better than working on a mako’s large gun.

“You can work on my shuttle if you want but everything needed to be cleared through me first, the F-61 on the other hand you may not touch as that is my brother’s personal ship and his baby by the way I own the shuttle.” Garrus was a bit disappointed he would not be working on the fighter but the shuttle of his co would be a great chance to earn trust and respect from her.

After introducing him to Ashley in her role as armory chief they moved to engineering with a nod to Wrex, Ashley had seemed to be professional but also seemed to mistrust him and the other aliens. They meet the chief engineer Adams, Garrus was absolutely shocked to see the quarian Tali standing there giving orders to the junior engineers holding a data pad in her hand while gesturing with the other. Just as Garrus was about to comment on that Odysseus walked in. 

“How is my new quarian working out as your second Adams?” Odysseus called out holding a data pad that had very complicated looking programing language scrolling by at high speeds and Garrus wondered if the captain could even read any of that. 

“Working out great she is the best second I have ever had sir!” Adams said happily looking at Tali who was now hanging over the platform to reach into the planning underneath. 

“You put her in as your Second in the engine bay commander?” Garrus as confused as to why someone would trust a person they had just met with something like that.

“Yeah she is a quarian mechanic, and they’re the best when is come to ship engines, having been raise by one I would know.” Odysseus said and Eris was nodding along with him.

________

After the tour garrus was put to work storing his gear and learning the operations handbook after being informed that he would be the second on the beta team lead by Eris, when asked she said Ashely was the second on the alpha team lead by Odysseus. He asked about the team layout and was told the first team was made up of Ashley and Tali under Odysseus and the beta team was made up of himself and Wrex under Eris, when asked why Kaidan was not on the teams she responded he was going to be the reserve and landing site guard due to the fact that his biotics sometimes left him crippled.

Garrus worked on the shuttle after reading the handbook and was amazed at how much of the shuttle had been changed the co-pilot seat had controls from a remote controlled torrent mounted on the front of roof of the shuttle giving it some fire power. As he worked to learn the systems he thought about how the teams were lead out and found himself finding not real fault with them given the why each of the twins fought.

The alpha team had a single heavy to draw the fire while Odysseus and Tali could use Drones to provide extra support and Odysseus along with Tali could hack any mechs they came across. The beta team was designed with more fire power in mind rather than the crowd control that alpha team was made for, with himself and Wrex being trained for assault rifles they could lay down fire while Eris could pick of flankers from cover. They also had Wrex’s biotics to control the lack of Drones the other team possessed. He could see this was going to be a fun mission.

“Hey Garrus it is time for lunch care to join me?” Eris called out as she walked out from the engine bay having just done a check up to make sure everything ready for when they ship out to find this daughter of the matriarch tomorrow.

“Sure just let me put my tools away and clean up.” Garrus called back wondering how the twins even eat with their masks on or if they took them off. 

When he had cleaned up and they were sitting down at the table Odysseus and Tali came to join them Tali sitting next to Garrus and across from the twins. Tali pulled out a pack of nutrient paste and clipped it to her mask to eat. The twins reached up to their masks and pulled the lower half off revealing a pair of olive coloured chins. 

“Commanders if you don’t mint me asking why do you were masks?” Garrus asked he had thought it might be some kind of illness or wound that made in needed. 

“Well it is a bit strange.” Eris said stopping to turn her masked eyes to her brother like looking for permission to speak about it at his strange gesture she placed a strange device in the center of their small table for four it lit up and garrus saw is project a small field over them all.

{Translator scrambler so just those in the field can understand each other, it is not a dangerous or anything we just don’t like others knowing as they look at us with pity or distain after it.} Eris said Garrus’s translator told him that she had switched into Khelish so he decided to speak turian if he spoke until otherwise told. 

{It all dates back to just after our father died in an explosion that gave us our biotic talents however it also bleached our hair and turned our eyes into catlike purple eyes, the reflect light making them seem to glow when you look at them. We were made fun of often for it so our adoptive parents who were quarians modified an old set of masks for us to use to cover our eyes. Even though we were still mocked it was now for our outfits not for something we could do nothing about as kids that made all the difference.} Eris said then nudged her brother who had been eating his pasta and he took up the story so she could eat. 

{We were more comfortable with our selves towards our late teens we had stopped wearing them around that time except when we were working with our parents in field on the hunt for bounties, but then we started flight school and were mocked the entire time the better we did in class the more we were mock for it so we started wearing them full time again. Now we were them because neither of us can find a visor that can match the mask while still covering our eye fully otherwise we would the closest we have ever found is the archon visor but it still is lacking in comparison to our models in battle and has problems syncing with our suits.}Tali looked up at this with her head tilted like she was thinking but said nothing.

After the twins left Garrus moved to leave but Tali stopped him. “Garrus can I talk to you alone please?” Tali asked.

Garrus wondered what she could want to talk about that she need privacy to speak about, but he nodded and lead her to the shuttle and helped her in sealing the door. She turned wringing her hand together “I want to help the Twins out with heir mask problem.” She blurted the moment the door was sealed.

Garrus tilted his head. “Why do you need to talk to me about this?” 

“I owe them so much they gave me one of their mothers old armors and I want to return the favor, you heard them they would like to be free of their masks I know how hard masked life, but I have an idea they said the archon visor was the closest right?” Garrus nodded no sure where this was going or why it involved him he would be happy to help as a way to repay the twins for all they are doing for them. 

“here is what I am thinking we get a pair of the visors and modify them to be as good their masks, but here is what I need your help for I don’t know what kind of specs Eris’s would need as I can tell that the twins have slightly different specs on their masks and as someone who is closets to her combat style you could help me with the work what do you say?” Tali asked bouncing slight on her toes. 

Garrus thought about is it made sense and he would love the challenge. “Alright you get the either the funds together for a single visor of find one and I will do the same and when we get the pair of them we will figure out the twins specs of the sly they mod the visors to be even better than their masks deal?” 

Tali nodded before thanking him and climbing out leaving Garrus to his work, Garrus knew that humans gave gifts on their name days if they could find out the twins name day and get everything before then they could give it to them then, he turned back to the shuttle working to learn the system while In the back of his mind already starting to figure out what specs the humans would likely need.


	7. ready set drop

Tali woke up from a fitful sleep as it was too quiet on the ship, she would have to ask Odysseus about the white noise machine. She cleaned up her sleeping area before heading out into the mess area. She saw joker sitting alone and decided to join him, moving over she ask if she could sit with him at his nod she sat. 

She and Joker ate in peace until Garrus joined them and turn to Joker and asked. “Joker would you happen to know the specs for the captain and commanders masks and Omni-tools?” 

Joker looked up still a bit bleary eyed from sleep. “Why would you want to know that?” 

Tali chimed in “We want to get them a thank you gift and they said that they would prefer to use visors but none run the same specs so we thought we could get a pair of archons and bring them up to specs.” 

Joker looked at them far more awake now, he was very protective of the twins since they helped him in flight school where they had not been allowed their masked and were treated like crap because of their hair and eyes. “Really? OK I can give you the specs for the masks they send me the updated specs every time they change encase I find a visor or something that can beat them, you want me to keep quiet about this?”

“Yes please I don’t want to get their hopes up.” Tali said and Joker agreed with her and sent them the documents the twins had shared with him. Tali’s eyes widened as she read over the specs, their masks made hers look like a bow in comparison to a nuke in terms of damage. 

Garrus’s face was similar. “I know right the twins are fond of their masks and mod every chance they get so good luck in beating them.” Joker joked before going back to his breakfast. 

_________

Odysseus came out of the captain’s cabin working on a data pad, he grabbed some simple biotic meal grade food and sat own his own when his sister exited the xo’s office/quarters and did the same sitting across from her twin. 

“What are they working on?” Garrus asked, Joker shrugged “It could be a world shattering problem or simply a good book it is a toss-up really.” 

Tali used her helmet to look at the data pads and was shocked to see some very strange data on them, Odysseus’s held what appeared to be quarian biometric data and machine read outs along with machine programing that was flying by at high speeds. While Eris’s seemed to hold Turian neurologic data and more programming and machine specs. She would have asked but just as she worked up the courage they got up putting on their lower masks before cleaning up and leaving the room.  
The crew was under way and heading to find the asari doctor Liara t’soni, Garrus headed down to go over the shuttle one last time before they got to the planet. To his surprise he found the fighter had been lower to the ground and Odysseus was underneath it working on something. 

“Hey captain you need any help with that?” Garrus called really wanting to sink his talons into the fighter as he could see that it was so heavily modified that it was nearly a new type of ship. 

“No thanks, nobody works on his beauty but me.” came the muffled voice from under the ship. 

“Alright what are you working on anyway?” Odysseus rolled out from under the ship and pushed a few buttons on hit Omni-tool and the holding frame moved the ship up and over to rest above the shuttle. 

“I was running calibrations and checking over the parts to make sure that being in storage did not mess with anything.” Odysseus said cleaning his suit off before placing his tools away.

“Captain what were you working on at breakfast, you barely seemed to be aware of the food let alone anyone else?” Garrus asked. 

“Oh that a pet project that I am working on it needs a quarian to test and now that tail is aboard I plan to ask her help with it once it’s ready but until then I can’t tell you anything it is a surprise.” Odysseus said before moving to the elevator calling back to Garrus. 

“I am trusting you to make sure the shuttle is ready for the drop today also your co-pilot for Eris, while Tali is ship comms so make sure the Comms are set to Khelish.” When Garrus nodded Odysseus moved into the elevator to head to his office to get the paper work for today done as much as possible before the drop in the early afternoon.

Tali was in the engine room when Eris came in for the morning progress updates. After Tali gave her the run down, she asked a question. 

{Commander what were you working this morning?} Tali called. 

{What oh that is was a project I am working on, using a modified version of the gray box that my brother and I have I am trying to see if you can you something like that to counter degenerative neurological diseases by copying the brain patterns and storing them so when the connects to that data break down the implant acts as a replacement for the connects, the biggest problem I am having is I don’t know any turians with the main disease that I am trying to fight.} Eris explained. 

{what disease?} Tali asked 

{Corpalis Syndrome it is a rare disease but perfect for the test I want to run.} 

{Wow not many people would work on something like that.} 

{Yeah it’s no cure it just stalls the degradation to a degree.} 

{Well I have to get back to work see you this afternoon for the drop make sure to get ash to check you over before getting into the shuttle.} Eris stated waving as she left to go work on her pet project in the down time she now had until the drop.

At lunch Tali sat with Garrus talking about nothing until she remembered her talk with Eris and asked Garrus. 

“Hey Garrus do you know anybody with Corpalis Syndrome?” she asked. 

Garrus chocked on his nutrient bar, sputtering he looked at her with sharp eyes. “Why do you want to know?” He asked with a voice filled with hostile suspicion. 

“Eris is working on some kind of implant that helps fight neural degeneration and wants to find someone who has that disease as apparently it is the one that her implant would work best with.” Tali explained as soon as she finished Garrus bolted out of his chair calling over to Tali that he had to go talk with the commander before running out of the room. Tali was left sitting there very confused about what just happened.

_____

Garrus bolted for the xo’s office not quite willing to believe what he had just heard, someone this close to him was working on a treatment for his mother’s disease. He had to know just what she was doing and if it was ready for testing trails and if so could he swing his mother onto the list, his mother’s disease had been a concern for his family for months now it was not bad yet but it would be soon. Reaching the door he knocked a little harder than he meant to. 

“Come in.” came the call and Garrus took a deep breath before entering, without moving her head from where was as hunched over a desk fiddling with some programing she called out. 

“Yes Garrus what can I do for you? According to the roster you are on lunch right now.” Garrus nodded knowing that despite not moving her head she could see him. 

“Tali just told me your working on a treatment for Corpalis Syndrome. Is that True?” Garrus asked unable to keep the desperate hope out of his subvocals and Eris picked up on it with her enhanced hearing. Saving her programs she turned them off and turned to him gesturing for him to sit down.

Garrus sat noticing the sudden change in her demeanor going from friendly commander to something else entirely. “Yes it is true I am working on something that can potently be used as a treatment for that particular syndrome why do you ask?” Garrus felt as if he was being tested and that if he failed she would never tell him anything about it. 

“My mother has early stage she was diagnosed less than a year ago. They think she has had it for less than two years.” Eris nodded and pulled out a data pad and brought up a document that was written in Khelish. 

“Alright. Do you have quick access to your mother’s medical files and background information?” She asked and Garrus responded with. “A quick call to my sister and I can get them.” 

“Good can you call her now?”

Garrus nodded and opened his Omni-tool he was lucky that they had stopped near a comm buoy so Odysseus could send off the reports he needed to send before they could move through the relay. 

Garrus’s sister Solana answered quickly. “Garrus?” 

“Yeah sol it’s me I need a favour from you.” He said 

“That is the first thing you say to me after months of nothing? … Fine what is it?” Solana’s voice sounded very annoyed. 

“I need the latest copy of mom’s med records sent to me I have found a potential treatment specialist that needs her files to see if she’s a match for the treatment type.” 

“What kind of treatment? Do you know this ‘specialist’?” Eris gestured for Garrus to put her on speaker phone. 

“Sol I am with the person now I am patching her in.” Garrus said before switching it to speaker. 

“Solana, my name is Eris Shepard. Before you ask I have two doctorates, one in engineering and one in neurological exobiology. I am human and an alliance soldier, what I am suggesting is a modified gray box that would be used to copy your mother’s neural pathways and act as replacements when those path ways fail.” Eris explained in a calm clear voice every inch the medical professional. 

“Alright I will send you the files. What are the odds of success if she is chosen?” Solana asked sounding like she was trying to not get her hopes up. 

"This is not a cure what is does is stops the noticeable degeneration making it so your mother would not lose any functionality. Also the odds of success are unknown until I can review the information and prepare an implant, in tests though on analogs and simulations it show a guaranteed partial success at the very least it will make her able to function if not remember, in about eighty percent of the simulations and analog test it showed near complete copying of the neural paths. ” Eris explained. “I have sent you my extra-net address send me the files and when I have a result I will contact you, it should be within the next two days palven time.” 

“Thank you for even trying ma’am.” Solana sounded close to tears at the news that there might be a hope for her mother. 

“No problem I would not wish a fate like you and your family’s on anyone, I will try and get a result as soon as I can.” Eris vowed closing the line.

After a moment her computer chimed and she opened the files seeing a very complete medical file she smiled behind her mask with this much data including a dna map she would be able to plug it into the simulators and have a result before they got back from the pickup of the doctor.

Turning to Garrus “You’re lucky that your family keeps such precise files with these I should have a result waiting when we get back from picking up the doctor.” 

Garrus nodded stunned that there was now a hope for his mother, this was just one more thing he would owe the commander for. “Now get out of here and let me get to work on this I have down time until the launch so normally I would check over the shuttle but if you do that for me I will start on this and get the sims going and begin prep work for making the implant deal?” Eris asked garrus who nodded eagerly before standing and saluting on his way down to the shuttle, he was going to make sure it was prefect and that nothing came even remotely close to the commander on this mission not with his mother’s health on the line.

_______

The ground team was assembled and waiting for the last minute brief form their squad leaders. “Alright here is how it will go. I will board my fighter while the rest get aboard the shuttle then I will launch first followed by the shuttle. Tali will be on sensors and Comm with Garrus as co-pilot with Eris flying. When we land we will split into the teams needed with Alenko on guard duty. We are dropping back from the entrance to the mine/dig site due to a geth presence so we wil drop with alpha on point to do crowd control with beta as flankers. Any question?” 

seeing none Odysseus and the crew loaded up. Odysseus ran through the checks before taking off and gliding out of the bay, he did a quick sweep before signaling the all clear. The shuttle came to the entrance with Eris at the helm, Joker called that they were nearing drop site. As they hit the site she pushed the shuttle out of the ship and let it drop turn the mass effect core down low. 

Garrus’s mandibles flared in shock as they plummeted towards the planet, he tried to crank the core but Eris slapped his hands away. Tali heard an insane laugh come over the Comms and saw on the sensors that Odysseus was following right beside them. Nearing the ground the twins fire their cores and pulled up to slow their descent landing gently. Ashley jumped from the shuttle and ran behind some rocks to loss her lunch, while Odysseus jumped out of the fighter laughing madly. 

“Ah I missed that, lets see a mako do that!” Eris yelled out as she climbed out while the rest of the crew crawled out. 

“What was that commander?” Kaidan demanded his world still spinning from the plummet they just had. \ 

“That is the most fuel efficient and time effective method way of landing also it makes it harder for sensors to get a lock on us.” Odysseus explained coming up. 

“Now enough playing around Williams lose your lunch later we have toasters to scrap and doctors to kidnap now let’s move, form up.” Eris called to Ashley who had finally stopped losing her lunch and put her helm back on and moved to stand with Odysseus. 

The teams moved up the path leaving Alenko behind with the ships. Odysseus stopped them upon seeing towers set up to guard the path. He waved Garrus and his sister forward to his squad. The snipers spread out with four snipers the made short work of the tower guards taking out the rocket troopers first. The towers cleared they moved Eris and Odysseus stopping to flag Geth that peaked the interest for pick up later. They reached the main entrance area without further issue only to have geth hoppers along with a squad of troops and a colossus spring up out of hiding. 

“Fuck! Beta take down that colossus, alpha cover beta.” Odysseus snapped out rolling into cover and coming up from the cover to fire an Omni-bolt into the optic of one of the troopers, when the bolt exploded on impact the geth dropped like a rock.

“Wrex, Garrus assault rifles. Wrex when that over grown toaster stands to take a shot hit it with a concussive round. Garrus move to its left flank and keep harassing its shield while I get into position.” Eris ordered over the squad channel the others clicked their mics in acknowledgement. 

Wrex moved to cover on its right trusting in alpha to keep him safe, when the machine stared to stand to shoot he stunned it with a concussive shot that staggered it without doing much damage due to the heavy plating on the structure. Garrus’s rifle peppered the shields never giving it a chance to recover and under the assault of the aliens the shields were dropping, Garrus launched an overload program at it dropping its shields even more. Over the Comm came a new set of orders. 

“Garrus on my signal hit it with over load, Wrex once its shields drop concuss it then keep its attention I am going to hit it with my widow.” Garrus and Wrex click their Comms again wondering if a single widow rifle shot would e enough as that would be all the time she had. 

“Mark!” Eris barked popping up from cover dropping her cloak as she and garrus used overload to drop its shields. 

Even before the shields dropped Eris was lining up her shot waiting for the concussive round and when it came she put a round in the optic. The giant dropped and stopped sparking as it dead, the team turned to help alpha just in time to see Odysseus use his Omni-knuckles to burst the last geth optics open

“Tali combat drone, Ashley assault rifle focus on covering the beta team.” Odysseus said as he launched his own drone he named gizmo. 

“Take their optics gizmo!” 

“Go for the optics Chatika go for the optics.” Tali called to her own drone. 

Ashley snickered at the fact that the two engineers had both named their drones and told them to aim for the optics. She took out a geth it disruptor ammo rounds that had been about to hit Wrex. She spared a glance to see how the others were doing and saw that two of the geth heavy troopers had been hacked and were in the process of tearing their allies apart. A geth hopper entered into the range of Odysseus’s shotgun and was blasted apart by it.As what they thought was the last geth fell the moved to help the other team but before they could a geth hopper dropped in front of Odysseus and was about to kill him when with a voice command his Omni-knuckles formed and he punched the hopper in the optics. His tool exploded forward as it was designed to blowing apart the geth head. He turn to see the other team done so he spoke up. 

“Round up and sound off if hurt then scour the toasters for supplies then get ready to find us a doctor.” Odysseus order. When they were ready the rallied at the entrance, Odysseus cloaked and went in first to find his new doctor.


	8. paging doctor t'soni

Liara t’soni floated trapped in a Prothean device wondering how it all came to this. The day had started like any other working to catalog samples and trying to date the samples, then out of nowhere Geth had dropped from the sky and started killing the few crew members that she staffed. She had run when the Krogan battle master had shown up and started calling for her, running through the maze of the ruins she had tried to put up the barrier in the room to protect herself now she was trapped in a bubble behind the barrier while the Krogan searched for a way through after having mocked her. That had been nearly three days ago, she now started to wonder if some day someone would find her dried up corpse floating trapped still in years to come. When a glowing purple combat drone floated down to her level and started taking scans of the area she had though she was finally going mad.

The sound of the elevator that had been broken by the gun fire of the geth she thought the maybe she was not going crazy. “Hello is anyone there I am trapped and need help please.” She yelled desperately hoping that these people were not with the Krogan. 

The strangest trio she had ever seen appeared, a human were armor she vaguely recognized as alliance armor and a quarian in black and purple armor of her race flanked the oddest human she had ever seen not that she had seen or met many human but this one was really strange. The human was dressed in quarian marksman armor with a base of violet and black plates and sliver straps and clasps instead of a normal quarian mask both the human and quarian wore sloid plate steel masks with glowing slits for eyes the female had violet while the human had crimson visor glow.

“You doctor t’soni?” the human asked while scanning her like she was just a fascinating toy he wanted to play with. 

Liara felt unnerved by the cold emotionless voice that came from the sliver and red mask. “Y-Yes I am. What are you doing here?” 

“We’re looking for you as you are the daughter of matriarch Benezia who is wanted in connection with rogue specter saren’s attack on Eden prime.” the cold voice explained. 

“What I have not seen my mother in years! I have no idea what this saren is doing I was attacked by some thug Krogan that said he was working for saren and he had geth!” Liara said panicking as she got the feeling that this human might do her harm if he thought it needed. 

“Are you trapped or a masochist?” the human asked Liara did not know the term but her translator supplied and she was appalled by the definition. 

“I am trapped not a pervert! I ran in here to try and raise the barrier curtain to protect myself but I must have touched something I shouldn’t have as I am trapped.” 

“Damn and here I thought the mission was going to be fun oh well will find some way past but once we free you I want it understood that until you are cleared you are a prisoner understood?” the human asked his voice dry as the desert plains. 

“Yes I understand but please the geth and Krogan could return any minute!” The human nodded then jumped down off the platform followed by his team mates and Liara realized she had never asked his name.

________

Odysseus pulled up the ground crew Comm and gave the entire team a SITREP Eris acknowledge saying she would scout back up the path and deal with anyone who came from behind. Odysseus and his team moved forward and encountered more geth and worked in a solid system both himself and Tali would launch their combat drones to support Ashley then Tali would move to mid-range cover while Odysseus moved back and used his sniper rifle, when their tools cooled enough they hacked the strongest mechs they could. When the last geth fell in a shower of sparks they started looking for a way past the barrier curtain. They found a large mining drill that could blow through the walls but a quick scan showed that its lowest power setting would be so great that it would reactivate the dormant volcano.

Odysseus started taking in depth scans of the rock covering the tower ruins. He made a plan of action having his team grab the lighter geth and used his Omni-gel converter to make them into the parts he need to make a series of breaching charges. Liara heard a large amount of gun fire for below then some time later she heard a series of blast going off at ever growing intervals. After the last explosion’s echoes had faded she heard someone moving behind her.

“Ash get ready to grab the doctor when I drop the bubble.” The cold voice said from behind her. Just as she was about to try and talk the human on how to shut down the barrier when it dropped without warning and she found herself caught by the female human. 

“Eris are we clear to come up now?” the human spoke seemingly into the thin air. The human male nodded then signaled to his companions and Liara found herself set down gently only for the human to come up to her. 

“I am going to search and cuff you until I have had a chance to debrief you and determine if you are working with or for Saren so no resisting understood?” Liara could only nod as she feared anything else might result in harm, the human frisked her quickly and clinically then she found herself cuffed gently then guide to the elevator.

_______

Eris and her team began scout back the way they came when they learned about the Krogan battle master, she cloaked so that no one would have a true idea of their numbers. They found the enemy quickly enough with closed Comm channels between their helmets they moved into positions and shortly after the geth and Krogan attacked with Eris cloaked she took out hopper that was scrabbling their sensors unfortunately that had the effect of the Krogan picking her as the main target. She jumped out of the way of the charging Krogan stowing her rifle and pulling out the Monomolecular Blade that was house between her shoulder blades. 

She dodge a few more times barely avoiding the Krogan each time and her squad mates had their hands full taking down the geth so they could not assist her. With the last doge leaving her facing the tunnel wall with the Krogan between her and the wall she waited for him to line up his next shot this time dodging past him to take two steps up the wall before pushing off the wall turning in the air and drive the blade down into his eye through the brain and into spine killing him quickly just as Garrus and Wrex finished the last geth. Odysseus called as she finished calling the blood of her blade. After a few more minutes he came up leading a cuffed asari woman it might seem cruel to do this to a woman who most likely was not working with their prey but the twins had seen the danger the sweet and innocent could do if they were sleepers.

Garrus and the ground team had been debriefed and were off-duty until the next day shift. Odysseus was still speaking with the doctor, so Garrus was about to head down to the shuttle to start cleaning it and check it over for any damage from the commander’s insane landing tactics when his Omi-tool beeped telling him he had a priority message. 

The message was short ‘my office now. I have your results.’ That was all he needed to take off jogging for the office after doing a complete one eighty from the elevator, he reached the office and felt nervous as from the message he could not tell if it was bad or good news so he had to rein in the hope that it was good news and prepare himself for the worst. He knocked then entered when the call came, the commander gestured for him to sit in the chair across from the desk as she worked on something on the console. 

When she turned to him she spoke in her professional voice. “Garrus who is the decision maker in regards to your mothers treatment?” 

“My father is ma’am.” Garrus replied hoping this meant good news. “Do you have the means to contact him or do I go through you sister?” 

“My sister might be the better choice my father and I have a strained relationship.” Garrus did not want to admit that encase it affected the choice. 

She nodded then typed a command into the computer that began ringing only to be picked up almost on the first ring Garrus imagined that his sister was very tensely waiting for this call since the vow to contact her once news was to be had. “Doctor Do you have the results?” came the equal parts fearful and eager voice of his sister that would have made Garrus chuckle if he was not feeling the same thing. 

“Yes I do is your father available to attend the call right now?” 

“Yes he is right here I will put him on speaker.” A bit of rustling and the voice of his father came through.

“Yes I assume I am speaking to the specter who claims to be able to help my wife?” the suspicion coming from his father made Garrus’s mandibles clench. “Yes and I have the results from the simulations if you would be interested in trying the implants I will tell you them now.” She spoke as if his father was not speaking in a rude tone. 

“Yes I would like that but I am not agreeing until I have had a chance to her the results.” This time his voice was different filled with far less suspicion. 

“Of course. Your wife is in an early enough stage that the implant would be able to guaranty that she lost no psychical functions, and the Sims indicate that there is an eighty five percent chance of completely halting the degradation for time of implantation.” 

“And the other fifteen percent chance?” the voice now sounded a bit hopeful and Garrus knew how his father felt depending on what the other fifteen was it could make or break the deal. 

“I will not lie that there is always the chance that the implant would back fire and accelerate the degradation rate but that odd is less than one percent the other remaining percent chances is that the implant would only be able to slow it down, ranging from barley making a difference to being so slow it would able that her mind is only going a little soon than it should.”

There was a pause on the other end and Garrus could almost see his father’s face closed hard in thought. “Explain how this implant would work please?” came the response. 

“Gladly. Using a mix of human grey box technology and quantum blue box technology form AI construction, the implant would scan you wife brain making what amounts to a backup copy of her memories then using a specially designed bio-Omni-gel converter would make special Nan bots designed to recreate or reroute the neural pathways your wife loses post implantation.” She replied. 

Another pause “Who would be making this implant, how much would this treatment cost this family?” His father asked and these were the Questions Garrus was dreading as although his family was not poor too much cost would result in his father delaying. 

“My bother would manufacture the implant here aboard the ship with his personal lab, the cost would break down like this you would need only pay for the cost of surgery from the surgeon of our choosing of course and cost of parts to make the implant assuming Garrus agrees to pass his pay from now until missions end or normally cost is covered and given the cost of what we are doing that is unlikely that his pay would cover it but should the mission end before pay would be complete the debt will be cleared as a farewell gift.”

Garrus was shock this deal was almost too good to be true. His father asked for a full price break down and when Eris replied Garrus winced on the inside at the cost of the parts and surgery alone was massive because as Eris explained to his family all three main components need were not easy to come by or cheap. The surgery was not as bad as it was just the cost to cover the room and tools needed as the doctor who was working on this was doing it for the challenge. When they asked about the normal cost if the deal had not been made Garrus felt his face go slack from shock at the price. Eris explained that herself the doctor and her brother were all leaders in their fields and as such the price for their services in a project like this would be massive. After agreeing to figure out the means of moving the parts to the ship as soon as they could she hung up and turned to face him.

“Eris thank you for doing this at such a cheap cost.” He said bowing his head knowing that without the deal his family would have been very hard pressed to afford this. 

“Your welcome, besides we are most likely walking into hell soon so I consider the risk of your life worth the cost difference and besides both my gear head brother and the doctor would do this solely for the challenge if nothing else.” After being told to rest for the night so he could help her tune the shuttle for the scouting missions they would be doing in the Armstrong galaxy soon Garrus rose and left the office feeling a sense of relief that a weight that had settled on his shoulders since the diagnoses for his mother had come was go he walked to his sleeper pod and fell into the most restful sleep he had in months.


	9. fly free

Tali woke from a peaceful sleep the white noise machine she got from Odysseus after the last mission was really helpful, just another thing she felt that she owed him about. She entered the galley to find Odysseus and Eris sitting eating and apparently arguing over something. Approaching she heard something odd out of context. 

“And I’m telling you that without a way to forcefully control the system I can’t get the system to respond at the rate needed to see results in less than a decade.” Odysseus said soundly like this was an old argument. 

“Yes but even if it is just the next generation they still would be very happy.” Eris countered but both of them stopped talking when they saw Tali. 

“What were you guys fighting over?” Tali asked not understanding what the fight could be over. 

“Nothing important my brother is just unwilling to move his pet project forward until he gets a part fixed even if it would work as it is.” 

“What project?” Tali asked tilting her head she had seen the twins often working with what appeared to be environmental control programs. 

“Nothing I want to talk about as it is still not ready for testing and until it has a working prototype I won’t release any details to none family sorry but it is just something that could spark a large debate across the galaxy if it gets out before it is ready. I hope you understand, as soon as I have a working prototype I will tell you first.” Odysseus said gesturing for her to sit next to him. She sat and nodded her understanding about keeping the project under wraps as some times half knowledge if far worse than no knowledge.

Tali turned to Odysseus who had finished eating and was now reading up on the planet they were launching their geth hunting mission today on. “So why are you not going to be on the ground today?” she asked the teams had been shuffled to put Garrus as team alpha leader with the newest recruit Liara who had been cleared and offered a spot on the team serving as beta’s right flank. 

“Because we are attacking the geth outposts today and I don’t want a dropship catching us off guard so I will be providing air support as my ship and skills are the best suited to the task of anyone on the ground team.” Tali nodded at Odysseus’s words but still thought that she would feel better if he was on the ground with her, the thought surprised her as she had no idea where the idea came from. 

Tali had found herself spending a large amount of time with the man as he way almost always in the engine bay if he had free time helping her and the rest of the team out, Odysseus also seemed to prefer taking lunch with garrus, herself and his sister instead of the rest of the crew. Both of the twins still talk with the rest of the crew and were friendly of duty but Tali and the rest of the crew noticed that the twins stayed near the dextros out of anyone in the crew.

Tali finished her meal and went into the engine bay to do some calming work before the launch. “Tali could you deliver this data pad to the captain please I need his approval for something?” Engineer Adams asked when she agreed she saw from her helmets sensors some of the bay crew were exchanging snickers she was confused about that but ignored it. 

“Where would he be right now?” She asked as she knew he was off at this time but had never seen him around the ship at this time. 

“In his cabin just knock and wait for the call to enter.” Adams said. Tali nodded and head to the elevator nodding to Garrus as she went by he had been far happier after being called into the xo’s office two days ago. 

She reached the captain’s qauters and buzzed and waited when the called came it sounded slightly breathless. Tali entered looking at her datapad and started talking. 

“Captain Adams needs your approval on …” she stopped talking as she looked up and what she saw had her jaw falling open slack, Odysseus was hanging upside down by his ankles from a bar doing hanging sit ups. He was dressed in only the cuffs to hold him to the bar and a pair of tight work out shorts, even his mask was off revealing his catlike purple eyes.

“Tali what does Adams need approval on?” Odysseus asked snapping Tali out of her gawking of his olive skinned muscled form she was really glad for the mask stopping him from seeing her blush. 

She explained what was needed as Odysseus flipped up and unhooked himself from the bar and dropped with the grace of a cat before turning to face her taking the pad and signing it and passed it back. 

{There anything else lass?} He asked and without his mask changing his voice a bit she found his rumbling voice very soothing. 

She wordlessly shook her head. He nodded and excused himself before gently ushering out saying that he needed to quickly clean up before he need to be on shift and gently closed the door behind him. 

“Yeah he is nice to look at isn’t he?” Tali jumped and squeaked at the sound of Joker’s voice. 

“W-What do you mean?” She asked trying not to sound like she had been drooling over him he may not look like a male of her race but they were close enough that he looked very tasty. 

“Don’t worry back in flight school if it wasn’t for his eyes he would have been beating the girls off with a stick.” 

“But his eyes are so beautiful they are a lovely colour and shape.” Tali said dreamily before blushing at Joker’s shocked look. 

“Really you think so, the twins love their eyes but hate how everyone is creeped out by them, maybe you should tell him that.” Joker suggested leering in a suggestive voice making her blush and stammer as she fled.

______

When the mission time came she stood waiting for the order to board the shuttle, when it came she jumped in and quickly worked to bring up the Comm and scanners online. The mission started fine before they landed they twins did a quick run over the enemy camp and broke the defences of the outpost taking out the largest of the geth before Eris started to bring them down just outside the outpost while Odysseus continued to fire on the outpost to keep them from firing on the ground team. 

When the team started to make headway taking out the geth Odysseus came over the Comm channel. “Warning in bound drop ship I suggest hurrying the clean up along while I keep the toaster busy.” 

Tali looked up in time to see him break off his run for one of the towers to stall the dropship. When Tali blasted the last geth on the ground the drop ship moved off. The next three outpost went much the same way over the next two days, at the last outpost they found a signal leading to a base for the geth in a fourth system.

When they were back aboard the team debriefed, Odysseus said that the last area would most likely be a base not out post so covering fire would be of no use once they were in side so the teams would be shuffled around to insure the lead team had the best chance of getting any data available. So it was decided that Odysseus along with Tali and Eris would make up team alpha while Garrus lead the force team made up of Ashely and Wrex, Kaidan and Liara would stay top side and watch for the dropship and use the heavy weapons they would be bringing if it showed up. 

Everyone except Kaidan was fine with this and he said so. “Captain I kept quiet during the mission to grab the doctor but why am I still being benched over the quarian or turian or even the Krogan?” Kaidan demanded and as soon as the words were out of his mouth Tali saw he had made a very large mistake as both of the twins bodies became coils of tension as anyone who was paying the slightest attention would have notice that they were quickly becoming mad. 

It seem everyone expect Kaidan noticed as he continued. “And for another thing you trust the alien members of or crew more than you alliance crew I mean you have one of them leading a team instead of Ashley of myself who are both trained soldiers.” 

That was apparently was the last straw as both of the twins stood slowly with the deliberate grace of a pair of angered large jungle cats Tali had read about and she felt a shiver of fear even though the rage was not directed at her, and by the body language of the rest of the ground team except Kaidan who still somehow seem to be unable to see the rage shared the view of not wanting that rage ever point at them.

“Kaidan listen and listen good you speciest sack of shit.” Odysseus said in a voice so cold Tali thought it was nearly touching absolute zero and is was filled with a malice that finally seemed to clue Kaidan into the fact that he might have gone too far. 

“Cap-” he started 

“You will not speak until I give you permission to speak lieutenant!” Odysseus roared making them all jump in fright. “Now you want to know why I have you on reverse duty and putting my trust in my non-alliance crew members more than my alliance crew?” 

“It is simple you royally fucked up in our first mission because of you stupid need to prove to yourself that you can be great and that action nearly got Williams killed if it had not been for her skill and the fact that both Eris and I had been there otherwise she would be dead because of your stupidity. You also become crippled by your biotics at random time now that is not your fault but I will not allow a piece of equipment in my roster that might fail at a critical time and get someone killed.

"Now as to why Ashley is not leading the team is a very simple reason and before you try and say that it is about her dislike of aliens it is because she does not have the experience of working on and leading a team with more than one species on it. and one last thing if you ever and I mean ever refer to you team mates like that again I will have you off this ship faster than you can blink. 

each person here is more than their species and you will not use that tone or manner of speak when referring to anyone again am I clear?” Odysseus asked when Kaidan did not answer right away he roar loudly again. “I said do you understand me lieutenant?” Kaidan jumped and saluted and snapped out a yes sir.

After the team was dismissed Tali hung back and walked up behind Odysseus wrapping her arms around him feeling him tense before relaxing into her embrace. 

{Thank you for defending us but I don’t want you getting in trouble for us over that fool}Tali whispered into his back. He chuckled and she felt the deep rumble before her turn and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug that made heat pool in her gut. {Never worry lass I will always stick up for you along with my team. Kaidan cannot cause any trouble given that this mission is a council mission so don’t worry my little lass. No how about we go see if I have any dextro chocolate left?} Tali perked up at that. 

They walked out together not knowing that Joker had been listening and now felt that the dextros on board really should be getting together with his friends as he had never heard that kind of tone in either of the twins except when they were talking to the dextros so he started plotting on how to get it to happen even as he plotted the course for the geth base. 

When they landed after dealing with the geth guarding the base by using bombing runs Odysseus stepped out of his fighter and took his flight helmet off and slipped the rest of his war mask on, it was times like this when they were landing so near the enemy he really wish for something like an archon visor. Mixed with a masked for combat. 

They spread out into their teams Kaidan still sulking about how he was treated he had even apparently gone to Eris in attempts to complain about his treatment and Odysseus knew this by both being told by Eris and hearing her yell at him for not only barging in and wreck hours of delicate work but also going behind his commanders back. Odysseus had to run interference to prevent Garrus for killing him as the work Kaidan wrecked was ground laying work for his mother. They entered the base and started advancing through it. 

The tech team went in with only Tali visible but guarded by a pair of drones as Eris and Odysseus were wearing their cloaks. The force team entered first to draw fire while the tech team focused on crowd control and data mining the base. As they cleared the base Odysseus found a large data cache of geth programming showing how they have changed over the years. 

Odysseus was excited with this data Tali would have her pilgrimage gift and the data would give Odysseus more clues into how to make his suit program better now all he was missing was some way to control the nerve system. They exited the base in time to be attacked by the drop ship. With the heavy weapons in hand the crew made short work of the already damaged ship.

After the debrief Tali was called into the captain’s cabin. She was nervous as she had no idea that Odysseus was planning to give her the data they found. “Tali I managed to get so geth programming data and thought you would want a copy of it. I am already sending a copy to the council and the alliance along with keep a copy for myself.” Odysseus said holding out an osd chip to her. 

Tali took it feeling the start of tears coming, she remembered that he promised any data he found but even with everything he had done she still was not really thinking that he would give it over without being asked for it. 

“Thank you Shepard! I was going to ask but you just give it to me is there anything I can give you in exchange?” Tali asked not counting the plan of finding a mask set up for the twins. 

“Yes there is if I find one last piece I need to my project and make a prototype would you be willing to help me test it out?” 

“Sure but what would you need my help for?” 

“I guess I can tell you along as you keep it quiet.” Tali nodded “It is a enviro program for your people’s suits that should help boost the immune system within a year or two to the point that you could live in your ships without your suits and be able to stand short amounts of time without your mask in order to eat off ship.” Odysseus explained and Tali felt floored. 

If his project worked he could possibly have just given the quarian their freedom back. Tali tackled Odysseus in her rush to hug him babbling that should would do everything she cold to help with the project when it was ready. 

“Good, the only thing I am missing is a way to tab into the nerves of your people to help simulate the immune growth otherwise it would take decades to work and would have to start as a child in order to work.” He explained after talking a bit more Tali head down to the engine bay with a skip in her step. 

while Odysseus watched with a warm feeling and turned to the Comm telling joker to head to the citadel in order to have some r and r along with picking up supplies and the parts needed for the implant for Garrus’s mother.


	10. break time

Odysseus walked out of the Normandy followed by Garrus, Tali and Eris as they got out they found an admiral waiting for them. The fact that he had not been warned about this admiral being there annoyed Odysseus and his mood only got worse soon as the man looked at the four of them with disdain and near hostility towards his non-human crew. 

“Is there a reason you’re here Admiral?” Odysseus asked neither he nor Eris bothering to salute. 

“Just because you’re a specter does not mean you should not salute your superiors Captain.” The Admiral growled scowling at the not really respectful tone the Captain was taking. 

Seeing that the man seemed to know nothing about where he really stood in comparison to the twins as did his squad mates Odysseus decided to take the man down a peg or two. 

“Actually Admiral unless my direct superiors place me or my twin under your command you are under me in the chain of command given my black ops status grants us the authority equal to an admiral.” Odysseus said shifting his weight to his left foot and crossed his arms. 

The admiral paled for a second before turning beet red. “Be that as it may the ship was to be placed under my command until the council got their hands, paws or whatever on it so I am here to inspect it now if you take me on the tour.” He said in a voice that implied his request was an order. 

Eris started laughing and broke in for the first time. “Admiral you were misinformed that was just a cover the ship was to be used for my brother’s and I’s stealth missions and specter training. 

"Also I would be careful about insulting the council in front of two specters, and further more due to the mission we are on unless you are part of our crew, the council or a special consultants brought in by my brother or I you don’t have the clearance to board. Now leave our dock before we make you as you are making us late for an appointment with the council.” If it was possible the man turned even deeper red before storming off.

After meeting with the council the team moved to the weapons shop to meet up with the rest of the ground team. The rest of the team had been selling all the weapons and armor they had picked up keeping any that were better than their own. The team split up the coin divvying it up to give every member of the ground team a share, the reserves getting equal share as they were the ones to grab the gear at the end of the mission. 

The four moved off towards the presidium to meet up with Garrus’s sister who was delivering the parts for the implants they were bringing Tali because she would be helping Odysseus help assemble the implant. Seeing the turian female standing there with the parts they move to meet her.

_______

“Greetings are you Solana Vakarian?” Odysseus asked. Solana jumped and turned to see a sight that brought her up short a quarian and two humans dressed like quarians stood with her brother. 

“Y-Yes I am are you the doctors?” She was not sure what she thought about the pair of humans standing before her but if they could help her mom she would not let something like how they dress stop her. 

“Yes I am the engineer that will be making the implant, Tali’Zorah here is my assistant and this is my sister Eris who will be in charge of care plan for your mother. due to time constraints the surgeon could not be here as he is own route to palevan to set up his lab there so he can began the pre-care to insure that your mother has the best care possible, he will be ready to start treatments in two solar cycles of palevan. When the payments start just pay him the cash then he will take care of everything.” 

Solana felt a flood of relief to know that her mother would be receiving care before the trail even started. “Thank you both and you brother, here are the parts you asked for father nearly threatened the primarch to get the best possible and as fast as possible.” 

Odysseus body language change sharply Solana noticed as he and the Quarian darted to the parts and began scanning them. When he turned to his sister Solana felt nervous hoping the parts were good enough and they were all the right parts and all there. 

“Damn I thought we would have to make do with what we could find in short order but these are exactly what I would use to make the best possible implant given our patients biology, with Tali’s help and give the new programming data we got recently this will be my best work yet!” Solana felt a rush of happiness at those words her mother would be getting the best work this man who looked like he was bouncing from the prospect of doing this work, Solana knew that someone like this man would not be happy with just good enough he would push like her brother and his calibrations until the piece was beyond perfect. 

“Oh right when the doctor is ready he will request that you bring your mother over to the lab to get a brain scan soon as he is ready for you this means that I can take the extra minute to make this piece the best possible.” Solana heard the news and the woman went on to explain what that meant while the brother moved off to arrange pick up for the parts. 

Eris explained that the scan would mean that Odysseus would not be fighting the clock to get the part done before too much was lost the scan would allow the part to repair the damage back to the level of when the scan was taken and that the implant could only at most stop the decay not reverse past when the scan was taken so the sooner the better. At that Eris gave her a few more instructions to pass on to her father and left with her brother to help load the parts so the brother could start today.

________________

Solana was left alone with her brother as the last member of the team moved to help load. “Garrus thank you for this it was so hard to know that I would have to watch mom decay like that.” 

“I wish I could be there for her right now but what I am doing with these humans is to important.” She heard how much her brother really wanted to be there for them in his subvocals. 

“I know but look at it this way you helping best were you are as we would have had a very hard time paying for even the bare bones of this treatment if they did not make this deal, so you better keep those humans alive and happy along with unharmed we need them for mom’s sake.” She told her brother giving him a hug as he was called over to help with the last of the loading and to head back to get everything set up.

After leaving the twins to play with their new tools to get fully set up for the work with the implant Tali and Garrus heading out to do some shopping. Tali dragged Garrus to a armor shop that sold many styles of visors. Garrus out lined what the specs were and what they wanted for both the combat and normal use to the shop keeper. 

“Well I know the pair of twins your talking about they come from time to time to get pieces of hardware for their masks. I have seen their faces only once or twice and as a human I have to say it is a damn shame that they hid their faces. So I have thought about you problem and you in luck in the last year a few models came out that would match what you want if you willing to work to combine the models together.” 

Tali and Garrus exchanged a look this was what they were hoping for the twins had given up hope but tech seemed to have advanced to the point where it could be done. 

“What do we need then?” Tali asked and the shop keep looked at her he was odd in how he liked her race as they were some of his best tech people when he could hire them. 

“For your combat model you could use a recon hood base for the frame and an Umbra visor, that would give you the targeting and tech you need while allowing a sleek compact design that you could wear under a helmet. Now for the day to day I would say a sentry interface with archon visor combo and you could add a program to colour the eyes to others looking allowing them to hide their eyes it they want.” 

“How much would all that be for two people?” Garrus asked. 

“Since the twins helped me out of a jam some years ago I will give you what I have at cost, but I do not have any sentry models in stock and won’t get them for sell do to pre orders for some months but I know that a merchant on feros bought a large shipment so you could try there if you are nearby.” Tali and garrus bought the parts and headed back to the ship to start work on the combat model and were glad that they were going to Feros next.

In the Captain’s quarter Odysseus was already at work on the implant starting on the implant and found it going very smoothly. While Eris was working on arranging the care program and bio readout machines for Garrus’s mother both were happy to be working on a problem that everyone had said was not possible to fix. Joker pulled out of the dock and set course for the colony they needed.  
 


	11. Feros pt.1

The team docked at the colony on the planet Feros, the two teams went out ahead leaving the reserve encase something happened and they needed someone to come in guns blazing. The colony was acting odd enough to put Eris and Odysseus on edge, when the geth attacked the team split into their usual battle formation with the twins cloaking and finding high cover to fire from. 

With two combat drones covering the snipers up high and Wrex keeping Garrus safe while he sniper from the back Ashley and Wrex kept the larger and hard to hack targets busy while the Odysseus and Tali hacked the regular troopers and Eris and Garrus fried the weapons of the med class and jumper level geth. 

Odysseus cursed as the last trooper fell without the geth actively jamming the signal he picked up a beacon that was transmitting to the geth. The team rallied at the colony to figure out their next move. With the knowledge that there was a beacon in the pipes some where the team’s decided the best course of action would be to split up. They called the reserve team in to help bolster the colony’s defences and then the two teams went into the pipes under the colony. 

The alpha team was responsible for finding and dealing with the beacon while the beta team was to work on repairing the fixing any issues they could for the colony while they were down there. Odysseus was unhappy with the discovery of the beacon after dealing with the enemies via a grenade launcher that he had the back-up team bring in, his team move to the beacon. He knelt before it and jacked in his Omni-tool. 

after a few moments he stood up. “While that is everything I could pull from the beacon at least we have an idea of what they wanted here let’s move to meet up with the team then call the group together.” Odysseus ordered. 

before tossing Tali and Ashley each a packet of binary Omni-explosives. Once they exited the room and sealed it he pushed a button on his Omni-tool and a dull roar reached their ears as the room behind the door was decimated by a blast that tore everything apart.  
Eris’s team moved through the pipes reconnecting the water supply, Killing a large amount of angry varren that event caused Wrex to laugh as the alpha had tried to get it jaws around Eris arm only to have Eris thrust a bioticly charged fist through its head leaving it dangling off her arm and requiring Garrus’s help to pull it off. 

“Great it will take forever to get the stains of varren brain of my armor.” She complained. 

After finding the power cells from an old vehicle the team met a strange man, after talking for a bit Eris scanned the man with her med grade Omni-tool and found to her shock that something was tapping into the man’s nerves. 

“Odysseus will want to know about this badly. Not only for the mission but if we can find the source of this condition it might just make his own pet project complete and may offer an improvement on ours Garrus.” Eris said she body language showing she supreme shock at the readings. 

“Really you want to stick something that is hurting that man into my mother?” Garrus asked horrified. 

“What!? No of course not what I would do is study the source and see if something similar could be produced to control the body’s immune response to lower the risk of rejection and heighten the chance at it accepting the treatment I would never stick something like the readings I am getting into your mother.” Eris exclaimed. 

Appalled that Garrus would even suggest something like that as it went against her personal code of ethics to uses something that use positive punishment. Garrus seemed to calm after that and the group moved to meet up with the alpha team.

When all three teams meet back up and shared their findings it made for an odd picture. The back-up team told them that the colony seemed to work so well that there was no need to talk amongst themselves but their defences all forces around a point that seemed unimportant. 

“Alright hear is the game plan. I want the back-up team to head back to the Normandy and lift off and enter orbit for now I don’t trust what the colonists will do when we leave, the main ground teams will take the grizzly and the mako that is on the sky way and head for the exogeni building and hopefully find out why the geth wanted to seize the colony, because based on the beacon data they want whatever is under that ship and I don’t want to go in there blind.”Odysseus stated. 

When everyone signaled that the under stood the game plan the teams broke up and moved out the Beta team was in the mako with Garrus driving and Wrex on the main guns and Eris on Comms the alpha team to the grizzly with Ashley driving and Tali on Coms and Odysseus on the guns, when asked why the twins went driving they explained if it flew then they could fly it but if it drove they had a massive problem as they tended to nearly flip the vehicle often.

The sky way was crawling with the geth troopers but with the two tanks the team made short work of them. The team was advancing when they picked up Comm chatter after final locating the source they found a group of workers. Odysseus and Eris started vid messaging each other while the head scientist rant at them about not being allowed to go in as there was company secrets there. 

“Listen here you two bit whining coward we are both specters and data we got from the geth beacon at the colony told us the data and info we need is in that building so attempting to stop us is an act against the interest of galactic security by order of the council we are here so unless you want to spend the rest of your natural existence in prison for obstructing a pair of specters I suggest you sit down and shut up.” Odysseus snapped at the man. 

At that the man turn pale and backed down, as the team was leaving a woman told them that her daughter was still in the building. Odysseus and Eris both winced on the inside at the worried tone of the mother, they promised the mother if they had time they would look for her but told her to prepare herself for the worst. 

The team continued on their path and when they reached a point where they would have to abandon the tanks Odysseus used a modded round for the tank to launch a series of arc grenades to fry any geth in range, after searching the main room and a side room where they found a large geth colossus. 

When they saw the geth Odysseus and Eris cloaked and split up some explosives Odysseus made from the geth they had run over on the way there, Odysseus took an almost sick pleasure from killing things with bombs made from the targets former allies and weapons. When the charges were set they released a massive shock frying the geth’s circuits. 

After dropping down into a tunnel they advanced into the lower levels and met the daughter. As they talked Eris’s mask was scanning the daughter measuring the vitals, when asked if she knew anything else she said no Eris’s mask said yes. 

“Your lying about something and that is not a good an idea if you want to stay alive with holding information in regards to a specters investigation is a crime that we would be within our right to kill you for just so you know.” Eris said in a cold voice with all the emotion of a computer reporting the weather.

Lizbeth paled at the strange woman’s words and realized that exo-geni would not save her from a specter. “Alright I will tell you everything I know please just don’t hurt me.” She begged and told them everything she knew about the thorian and the colony Zhu’s hope. After she told them everything the group left with her pass telling her to stay hidden and they would pick her up on the way out.


	12. down with the beast

Tali was amazed by the speed at which Odysseus was hacking through the company’s computers and taking everything even remotely related to the thorian, When they came across the Krogan trying to use the computer a single shot from Eris’s widow made his head explode. 

When they accessed the computer they learned nothing that they had not already gotten from the girl earlier. They moved through the building with the twins scouting ahead and using a map they had downloaded from the main frame to find the rooms they needed.  
When they found the strange altar Tali was greatly disturbed by both the fact that it existed and the fact that Odysseus was trying to take it apart to find out what their beliefs were. They came across the first arm that was anchoring the ship to the building. 

“Wow even with my bombs I would not have enough power to blow it off.” Odysseus said “what about blowing the area around the claw” Ashley asked but Odysseus was already shaking his head 

“Won’t work as the damn walls are too close to load bearing points that the amount of force needed to break the wall would bring the whole building down on top of us.” Odysseus sighed and waved the group onwards.

When they found a room full of geth the teams spilt up with the twins cloaking and moving to opposite sides of the room with garrus sneaking to the top of the stairs, when the snipers were in position the warriors began firing their assault rifle while Tali stayed near Garrus to cover him with herself and Chatika vas paus. 

Tali heard an explosion and glanced over to see that the geth had tried to get near Odysseus but he had laid a series of mines that his drone Gizmo floated over but the geth would set off all around him preventing the geth from getting near him. Tali smirked as this was the tactic that he had used during the blitz he had told her one night while they were traveling. 

When the last geth exploded a hologram appeared of a quarian female singing and Tali watched as Gizmo floated optics locked on the hologram no body moved until the last note faded away.

Garrus moved to the door controls and after reading saw they could use this to cut the ship loose. After reporting it Eris had told him to do it while the twins moved to the consoles used for research and started stealing every file that caught their eye. Normally Garrus would disapprove but given what they knew this company had done combined with the fact that the twins would like use whatever data they stole for improving their projects including his mother’s implant so he was not going to argue with them. 

“Captain please answer. Demo where the hell are you Shadow answer mean you two better not have died you both own me money!” Joker’s voice came over the Comm sounding panicked and Garrus knew that Joker was an old friend and worried about them often. 

“Jeff? Calm down the ship most have been blocking the Comms what is the problem Laddie?” Odysseus responded in a soothing voice though Garrus had no idea what a Laddie was but Eris and Odysseus called him, Wrex and Joker it all the time. 

“After the Comms shut off the ship cams showed the Colonists acting really strange like they are firing at us kind of strange.” 

“Is the ship alright?” Eris called over the Comm. 

“yeah we’re too far for them to hit us.” 

“All right we are on our way we found out what is under the ship in the heart of Zhu’s hope. Tell Kaidan and Liara to prep the shuttle for ground landing and have them load it with the crates marked ‘Eris’s bio mining toys’ but don’t have them launch just yet wait for our signal.” Odysseus ordered and Joker confirmed the order then signed off.

Garrus looked at the twins. “What do we need those crates for?” 

“The thorain controls its thralls with spores that control the brain to control the thrall and that could be used to control both your mother’s body to prevent rejection and increase the odds of full success and also could be used to increase the speed of quarian immune adaption.” Eris explained and Garrus along with Tali’ heads snapped to Eris and Odysseus who was nodding along. 

“Then let’s go fetch us a plant you Bosh’tets!” Tali said bouncing on her feet now eager to get going Wrex and Ashley chuckled at her reaction. Garrus was also now eager to go.

After they picked up the daughter they moved out heading for the colony when they heard over the radio the asshole head scientist threating the other so Garrus stopped the vehicle when ordered, when Lizbeth started to run forward Eris orderd Wrex to pin her. 

“Now listen here lassie your already in big trouble so you are going to stay here while my brother and I go to check this out now we plan to end this with as little blood shed as possible but we need you to not get in our way so Wrex here is going to keep you here until ordered so don’t struggle or he will break bone.” Eris said in a cheerful voice that sent shivers through Garrus’s fringe. 

Lizbeth also paled and then Eris vanished before their eyes before her twin did the same. After a few moments they heard a shout then screaming of the head scientist short after came a call for them to come on down.

Tali was surprised to see Odysseus sitting on the head scientist who was now face down struggling against the man on top of him but stopped when Odysseus pulled his shotgun off its maglock and pressed the barrel to the back of the man’s head. 

“Now Laddie that would be a very bad idea as my patience with you is very low right now so be a good laddie and stay still.” Odysseus said in a cold voice warmed only by his pleasing Irish burr. 

After talking a bit with the group of employs they learned what was going on apparently the company had ordered a clean-up of the op. Odysseus cursed and raised Joker. “Joker call Hackett and tell him to stop the Exo-geni ships from getting anywhere near this planet they have been preforming illegal experiments if they raise a fuss tell him to tell them this is being done under the orders of the two human specters.” 

After joker confirmed they turned their attention to the problem of the colonists who would kill to defend the creature. The mother suggested using gas grenades and after examining the compound they modded Odysseus grenades and spread them out among the group and Eris raised Joker once more. 

“Joker I need you to patch me through to the shuttle team.” Eris called and when the team responded she relayed instructions on how to make a set of gas bombs that could be dropped from the shuttle then when the bombs were load and ready she ordered them dropped on the colony.

“Alright let’s move by the time we get there the shuttle team should be already on the ground waiting for us.” Odysseus ordered and Tali moved out quickly hoping to finish this swiftly as this place was starting to wear on her. 

When they reached the colony they found creatures that the Thorian had made dead from the gas bombs. They met up with the shuttle team who was ordered to tend to the colonist and cover their backs while the main teams went down with their kits only Eris was carrying a large gun that she explained fired data spikes that read the bio feedback of what it implanted with the spikes. The plant turned out to be very large.

Tali hated fighting the creepers as the Bosh’ Tet things kept charging at her and while that was go in ones and twos anything more and it was too hard to keep up. Odysseus and Tali were standing side by side with Gizmo and Chatika trying to not get over whelmed as Ashley and Wrex dealt with the asari clone while Eris and Garrus were in a similar position to Tali and Odysseus. 

When at last the plant fell the real asari was spat out of a pod. After talking for a while the twins agreed to receive the cipher and after they shook off the effects they let the woman stay on the condition that she devote her long life to helping the colony.

Eris approached the Thorian and ordered Liara and Kaidan to bring her research supplies down and when they arrived she started to dissect the plant looking for three things the brain part that controls the spores, the spore sacks and finally the seed sacks. While Eris and Odysseus worked on the plant Garrus took Tali to search for the merchant that had the sentry visors they needed to make the visors for the twins birthday that was fast approaching, in less than a week according to Joker who had been happy to help them and kept making suggestive comments about the twins to the pair. 

They found the Salarian who sold them and after telling him what they wanted he gave the visors and a pair of moding kits free for doing so much to help them. The pair told the twins they were heading back to the ship as they were no longer needed and the ship and docked once more. When they returned the pair moved into the cargo bay and started to make the new visors starting with the combat ones as they would take the most work. 

By the time the twins returned towards the end of the planets solar cycle to report to the council the pair had finished the hard ware work on the visors sets which had gone fast as the pair had spent several nights planning the work. All that was left was the software work and that would be finished by the time they reached the citadel to drop off the research on the plant creature.

Odysseus locked himself in his rooms after talking with the council, the council was not happy about them killing the plant but were appeased by the fact that they were delivering samples of the plant including spores and seeds along with grey matter. The turian councillor was unhappy but was grudgingly satisfied that the twins were doing so well with the geth data the Prothean dig site unhurt and the plant materials and data he was happy with the results just upset that it was two humans doing it. 

Odysseus was putting the finishing touches on the implant for Garrus’s mother with the new data about the spores he and Eris had remotely set the computers to run simulations to find the best method for using them. After reaching the end the computer spat out a modded plan for the implant and it was actually making the work even easier and before long Odysseus had the hardware of the implant done. 

After loading the coding program for the implant he start the work of adjusting it for the spores to work he had the night before reached the point where he needed to work on his own as the programming became too delicate for him to work with others. With the next three day going to be filled with travel to the citadel he would be able to finish the implants work and the work for the suit program in time for their arrival. 

after messaging Eris he turned on his Comm system and dialed up someone who he knew would be able to get to the citadel at the same time and have built the hardware for the suit program he had made.

Lura'Saemos Vas Star_chaser answered on the second ring her purple tinted masked face appeared. {My sweet child how are you and your sister have you been eating enough and take you mask off I want to see my son’s beautiful face.} Lura spoke rapid fire causing Odysseus to laugh freely how had he missed hearing her mother’s voice. 

reached up and removed his mask blinking rapidly to adjust to the loss of the sensor overlay. {Hello mother Eris and I our fine in fact I was calling to ask you and Mom for a pair of favours.} 

{Oh, what could the first pair of human specters need from a pair of lowly bounty hunters?} came the false humble reply. 

{Mother the day you’re a lowly hunter is the day I dance naked through the council tower.} Odysseus said laughing as his mothers were among the top five hunters in the galaxy. 

{Fair enough flatter what do you need them?} 

{Due to a medical implant I am working on I don’t have time to make the hardware for my suit program that I finally finished and that qurian I told you about is going to be my first tester so I was hoping that if I sent you the plans you could make one for me and meet me at the citadel in three days?} 

{I will be happy to do it on two conditions, one I make three of them and you give the program to bother your mothers and the second is that you drag your sister the pair that you and your sister have your crushes on to dinner with use and you buy dinner on your sister and yours birthday.} she said with a smirk in her voice. 

{H-How do you know that Eris and I have any crushes mom?} Odysseus asked blushing and cursed the lack of a mask to hide it. 

{Oh honey the way you to talk about them when you message us nightly is so obvious I would have to be blind for me not to see it.} Lura said laughing, finally after Odysseus stopped blushing he agreed to the conditions and sent the plans off to his mothers. 

He sent a quick email to the pair of dextros explaining that due to their work on the projects they would be attending a dinner with his mothers and sent the date and time then he sent a similar message to his sister and Joker but explaining that their mothers knew about their crushes.

Tali ran up to Garrus after having been just checking her vid-mail before bed. “Garrus!” Tali said nearly crashing into him in her rush to catch him before he left the cargo bay. 

“Whoa Tali what is up?” Garrus said surprised at the frantic aura around the young Woman. 

“Check you mail and you will see!” Tali said looking extremely nervous for some reason. 

Garrus shrugged and opened his mail he had seen he had an email from the captain but had been going to check it in the elevator but as he read the mail he understood what she meant and why she was nervous the captain had told them about his and Eris’ adoptive mothers but Garrus had never dreamed about meeting them for some time. 

“Oh I see yeah lets go talk to Joker about this.” Garrus said leading Tali into the elevator. 

Tali was wringing her hands together as they approached Joker thanking the ancestors that it was the night cycle and the crew was running a skeleton crew so there was no one near Joker when they arrived and the twins were both sleeping or working in their rooms. 

“Joker we need to ask you some questions about the twins.” Garrus said sounding far calmer than Tali was feeling. 

Joker spun his seat around to face them and took in the fact that both of the aliens were looking very nervous for some reason. “Sure I would be happy to help answer questions about your crushes.” He said smirking knowingly. 

Tali scowled at that but did not deny as everybody but the twins seemed to see the fact that the dextros had developed very strong crushes on them. 

“What does it mean when Odysseus and Eris invite us to have dinner?” Tali asked nervous. 

At that joker laughed that Caused Garrus to growl. “Whoa easy big guy it is not what you guys think.” 

“What do you mean?” Garrus growled 

“It was not Odysseus’s idea to invite you for dinner on the twins birthday it was one of his mothers’ ideas, as she wants to and I quote from what he told me ‘get to know the people who my darling twins have developed crushes on.’” Joker explained and Tali felt like someone just punched her in the gut and shut of her air filters cutting of her air. 

“W-Wait their mothers think the twins have crushes on US?” Tali asked shocked. 

“Yeah just like they can’t see you have a crush on them you can’t see the crush they developed on you so at least this will be the perfect time to confess but I am needing to get back to work come by tomorrow and I will help you prep for meet the folks as I happen to know them.” Joker said before turn back to his controls end the talk. 

The pair left to get some sleep after the news that their affections might be returned and both were trying to decide if they should confess before or after dinner and both decided to wait and ask Joker before deciding anything.


	13. feelings revealed

Garrus was trying not to pace as Tali put the finishing touches on the masks and visors, the twins birthday was tomorrow and they would be on the citadel that day to meet the parents and to deliver the implant to his sister. Garrus and Tali had talked it over and decided to give the twins the day to day masks today when they both on confessed to the twins and at the dinner they would give the combat masks. 

The main thing was despite Joker’s assurances that the twins returned their feeling they were both highly nervous as they knew most alliance ships forbid relationships on board and although the twins did not enforce this rule or even allow it on their ship the pair was not sure if the twins abided by the rule away.

“Done!” Tali said throwing her hands in the air from the joy of her greatest work being finally finished. 

“Really are you sure they will work properly?” Garrus asked not wanting the present to fail when he gave it to Eris. 

“It is fine the only way I could make it better is if I had access to their suits but they will be able to sort any issues with that out faster than I could, so I that is left is to give them the visors. You asked Eris to have dinner with you in her cabin tonight right?” Tali asked not wanting her dinner with Odysseus interrupted by Eris walking in at the wrong moment. 

“Yeah I had an easy time of it when I said I wanted to talk about making mods to the shuttles gun system and that it was best discussed away from others.” Tali nodded she had asked Odysseus to have dinner with her in his cabin for similar false reason’s hers was a way to trim up the drive output which was true. Little did the pair know that above them in the captain’s cabin Eris and Odysseus were having a similar talk?

______  
{Eris would you please stop pacing you are going to wear a hole in my floor at this rate and I happen to like my floor thank you very much.} Odysseus said feeling a slight annoyance with his sister as she paced the length of his cabin.

{I would stop pacing if I could figure out what I am going to wear tonight!} Eris nearly shouted at her brother. Odysseus held his hands up in a peace keeping gesture 

{Calm yourself sister Garrus said he wants to talk about the shuttle and I know you planning on confessing same as I am but what you wear should not be a concern.} Odysseus said in a soothing tone putting the deep rumble of his voice into the statement with as much force as he could and as when they were kids the sound of a rumbling burr or flanging voice immediately calmed her. 

{I know but I want the night to go well so that even if he turns me down he will still be coming to dinner tomorrow.} Eris said with a self-doubt that has plagued both twins when it came to social interactions since the day they lost their father prevalent in her voice. 

Odysseus knew how his sister was feeling as both of them had been burned to many times and do to the lives they led really formed long relationships the relationships they had could be counted on one hand. They had spent more time talking and going over their plans and outfits for both that night and the next day.

________

That night the mess Sargent delivered the for meals this was not the first time the captain and xo had eaten in their rooms both it was the first night that the dextros would be joining them and that set the scuttle butt blazing. Garrus and Tali walked out of the elevator together each carrying a small box that was tastefully wrapped. 

Kaidan glared at them from where he stood in his corner, Ash who was eating gave Tali a thumps up. Ashley had developed a bit of a crush on the captain but when the skipper stated that his interests lay in the suited race she became content to be friends and when Tali who she thought of as a little sister showed interest and the skipper showed it right back she started rooting for them quietly. 

She also began running interference against Liara for both of the twins as she like Garrus alright and thought of Eris as an older sister and the skipper like a brother. Liara had yet it seemed to notice the twins preferred attentions and was surprised to see the dextros enter the cabins of the specters.

{Hey Tali how are you this evening?} Odysseus asked as he opened the cabin door for her and she walked in and placed a package on the table next to the plates and turned. 

Odysseus notice her wringing her hands and knew that to be a sign for her and him as well that something was making her nervous and he was across the room and placing a hand on each of her shoulders and squatting slightly to allow their masks to be level and concern flooded his voice when he spoke in a soothing rumble that always helped calm the quarian. 

{Hey what is the matter are you alright Tali?} He asked and watched her try to jump and pull away, he heard her muttering. 

{Khela I am making a mess of this.} this confused Demo. 

{Making a mess of what Tali? You know that I will always be here for you so please tell me what is wrong?} Odysseus ask growing very concerned at this point as she was displaying every sign of a quarian on the verge of a panic attack.

{I LOVE YOU!} Tali suddenly blurted out and Odysseus stood stunned and his grip lessened from the confession and Tali pulled away turning away from him and wrapping her arms around her torso. 

{I know that you probably don’t feel the same and you might think I am just a kid but in the short time I have known you, you have been so kind and caring and I am making a fool of myself and babbling which is what I do when I am nervous its-?} Tali stopped when she felt the strong suit covered arms slide under hers and pull her close. 

While Odysseus's masked head came to rest on the crown of her mask, he held her so tenderly that she almost started to cry for the rejection she was sure was coming. {Tali the reason I agreed to dinner tonight was not to talk about the drive core.} {It wasn’t?} She sniffed still fighting tears and at her word Odysseus just turned her around and started gently but firmly rub her back hitting the spots on her race that helped calm them. 

{Yes I agreed so that I could tell you the same thing that I love you but it seemed you beat me to the punch on that one but I can still ask this. Tali’Zorah Nar Rayya will you accompany me to dinner with my parent tomorrow as my girlfriend?} Tali was stunned but recovered quickly. 

{Yes I will, thank you I was so nervous and I had a plan but it did not work out but I got you an early present and there is another one for you tomorrow at the dinner.} Tali said having cheered up, She moved to the table once more picked up the box and held it out. 

{It is better to open it before you eat.} She stated and Odysseus with a tilt of his head reached for the box.

_________________________________________

Garrus enter the room and what he saw floored him Eris was dress in her suit as usual this one a pale almost white blue with the sashes arranged in the style of a dress that accented the features turian men looked at the ridge of the chest made by sashes folded and wrapped around hugging her chest and the waist shown on a racy display if not for the suit it would had shown a large amount of skin and her hood wraps were gone. 

In place of them and her balaclava she wore her hair in a braid the created a ridge from crown back that looked like a females fringe and the females lacked a set of spikes on their head, the end of the braid came to her shoulders top and hung in its white glory with blue highlights. The sashes were a soothing blue. 

“Wow Eris you look amazing.” Garrus stammered out. 

{Garrus before we get the evening rolling as the saying goes I am going to do as another saying that goes like this, ‘caper a nocturne’ which means seize the night. So here it goes Garrus I have come to know you quite well over the past near month and some now so I would like to say this. 

{Garrus Vakarian I love you and would like for you to be my boyfriend if you feel the same way if not we can simply remain friends.} Eris said then she squared her shoulders and leaned against the wall of her cabin near the table set up for them and waited. 

“Wow there goes my plan of being smooth and confessing and sweeping you off your feet as you humans say but yes Eris I love you as well and I would love to be your boyfriend and hopefully be introduced as such to your parents tomorrow if that is all right.” Garrus said with a lot more confidence than he felt. 

Eris slinked over to him like a jungle cat and Garrus found his eyes drawn to her swinging hips before she stood on her toes and whispered into his earholes {That would please me greatly Garrus now be a good boy and tell what’s in the box?”} Eris purred. 

_______________________________________

Odysseus took the box and saw that it not overly large or heavy so he set it back on the table and unwrapped it inside the wrapping sat a small compact hard case for an archon visor, he briefly debate telling her that he had already tried this model out but then he saw that the case had been changed slightly is was slightly heavier than the model he had tried so he opened it. 

Inside the case sat an archon visor that gleamed with a metallic purple shine, he took his mask off and reached for the visor and slipped it on and linked it to his suit and the holo display sprung up on a lavender that was the same colour as Tali’s mask he quickly scrolled to find the specs and his eye went wide at the site of specs that were better than what he had managed to squeeze out of his mask. 

He turned and hugged Tali {Thank you this is the greatest gift I could ask for I will still wear my mask for combat but now I don’t need to wear my mask to walk around.} Odysseus said with a smile on his lips. 

{Now come let’s eat before it grows cold I have your favourites.} Odysseus said pulling her to the table and taking a hand in his across the table. 

The rest of the night was spent in quiet peaceful talks and Tali was about to head back to her uncomfortable sleeper pod thinking that she wished she could just stay here as his bed looked big enough of both if they kept close but she would never ask. 

{Tali I hope this does not sound too forward but I know how uncomfortable those pods are so if you want and you ok with a tight fit I would prefer you stay here tonight.} Tali was shocked at his offer and could only nod. 

When Odysseus started preparing for bed she ran a cleaning program over her suit and removed the belts and sashes stripping down to the bare suit and sat on the bed to watch Odysseus. Odysseus removed his crimson sashes and belts laying them out in a neatly fold pile to be cleaned then she heard the hiss of section seals being undone. 

She watched as he stripped down to boxer briefs and stepped behind a screen to change those coming out in what looked to a pair of underarmor shorts and she saw his tanned skin contrasting his short hair before he slid into and pulled her into his embrace and curled around her whispering sweet nothings in her ear for a moment before kissing the top of her helm and laying back to sleep. They both slept better than they had in months.

Garrus watched Eris take the box from his shocked hands and skip away like a lithe cat, he saw her put it on the table with a body language that spoke of her excitement and curiosity. That was what he loved about her she was kind peaceful and serene one moment then like an excited varren mixed with the grace of a feline. 

{There is another one for you at dinner tomorrow but I suggest opening this one before diner.} Garrus said and saw immediately that he had given too much information as she suddenly tore through the box seeming to know what it was. 

She gasped as inside the box was a archon visor with a metallic shade of blue that matched his markings, when she slipped on the visor after slipping off her mask she gasped as the specs and the blue visor that match his lumi-gel screen on his. 

{Marking me as yours are we?} Eris asked turning to face Garrus and cocking her hip and crossing her arms with a smirk on her face. 

“I-If you don’t like the colour I am sure we can get it changed I just noticed that you seemed to like the blues on my armor and visor and we did the same but with purple like Tali’s suit for your brother.” Garrus said looking increasing like he way panicking by how fast his mandibles were fluttering and the distress marker in his harmonics. 

She laughed and walked over to him grabbed his cowl and raised her five foot five frame up while pulling his down before pecking him on the lips and saying. {Garrus sweetheart do me a favour and shut your pretty mouth I was just teasing you and if you don’t stop talking and pull my chair out like a gentleman so I can have a nice dinner with my new boyfriend I will be very cross with you.} 

Garrus looked stunned but his military training kicked in and he did as ordered. The rest of the might Garrus and Eris talked played a few rounds of strategy games then when garrus was about to leave Eris stopped him.

{Garrus you don’t have to leave. Now don’t think I am inviting you to have sex with me I am not cheap I don’t sleep around on the first date but I do like having a turian in my cot as you guys are the best cool pillow I have ever had and I like the feel of your races plates against my skin so please stay.} Garrus could not believe his ears not only was she asking to stay and given the life she led that level of trust was nice but she also just revealed that she had turian lovers at least before. 

He could only nod as he processed this information so he decided to test his conclusions with a question. "Eris are you sure this can even work I have never been with a human and if you ever decide that you want to do more than sleep in you cot are you sure it would even work?" 

He asked thinking that was a good neutral why of asking if she had other lovers like him he was not jealous he just wanted to know that he would be able to make love to her without hurting or killing her. 

{Oh that is no problem I unlike you have had a fair share of turian and even quarian lovers so I would be able to guide you in that, but does that bother you I know so people are bothered the fact that the women they are dating aren’t virgins?} Eris asked and Garrus detected a bit of fear in her glass smooth voice. 

"Never I am glad that one of us is going to know what to do." He said and she smiled before instructing him to get changed and pointed to a set of his sleep where that she explained in the vain hope that he would agree to stay she had gotten from the store room. 

Garrus changed into just the lower portion as he generally slept with put a shirt on, Eris had stepped behind a screen to change and came out in what Garrus in his time at C-sec had learned was a bright blue sports bar and underarmor shorts. 

She blushed and said {I know that turian’s generally have different figure shape desires so I hope this doesn’t scare you off.} 

Garrus did not answer right away as he was busy stepping in front of her and wrapping his long arms around her waist and touched foreheads in a turian kiss. {Eris I won’t pretend to have a human fetish but you are beautiful to me.} He said purring before picking her up and laying them both down on the bed that had turian pillow and spine cushion for him and he just held her in his arms and they both slept peacefully content.


	14. meeting the parents

When the Normandy docked Garrus headed down to the cargo bay to find the twins already there with Odysseus standing holding a data pad in his causal clothes and new purple visor in place as he ordered a group of workers who were not wearing alliance colours. 

“Come on I want to be at the dock within the hour. Careful with that box if you drop or damage the contents I will have you fired faster than you can blink!” He snapped when a worker who had been jogging nearly tripped and dropped the box Garrus knew held his mother’s implant. 

Garrus walked to where Tali and Eris were standing by watching Odysseus oversee the moving of a large crate. 

“Who are these people Eris?” Garrus asked coming up to them and bending to touch foreheads with his girlfriend whose blue visor stood out against her skin and hair. 

“They work for my brother’s and I’s company that we run.” 

“You own a company?” 

“Yeah we are the main owners with a large group of managers controlling it most of the time.” 

“How did you build a company?” 

“We didn’t once we were working on a deep cover mission for the company and when the owner died he left it to us.” Garrus decided not to ask how the owner died as he thought given the fact that both twins were there it might have been them who killed the boss just to get the company.

Tali watched her human boyfriend finish the loading thinking that if her father finds out he will kill her for this. “Alright the gear is loaded let’s go give your sister the implant and leave the boys to drop off the samples to the right places so we can go to dinner.” Odysseus called to Garrus waving the group over so they could pile into the skycar and leave the truck to the movers. 

Solana was trying not to pace, the specters said they were on their to drop off the completed implant but after Garrus had headed to Feros he clammed up about the progress, the most he was willing to tell her was that they had found something on the planet that while it is still top secret the twins bent the rules and worked to add it into the implant. 

A shuttle with the logo of the company that the twins ran descended and she tensed as the shuttle landed and her brother stepped out with the twins who no longer wore their masks but a pair of Cleary modified visors. Solana saw that the sister’s visor and outfit seemed tailored to match her brother. 

‘That is one way to keep them happy I guess.’ She thought as she noticed how her brother seemed to now watch the sister with the turian look of a love sick varren. 

“Greeting Miss Vakarian I hope you have not been waiting long we ran into a bit of traffic.” Eris called as they approached with the brother staying leaning against the shuttle when the others moved.

“No I just arrived.” She lied as she had been here for an hour before the meeting time. 

“That is good come let’s get you the implant for your mother the doctor told us that the treatments are going well.” Eris said gently leading Solana over to the shuttle where Odysseus opened the back to reveal a sleek black case no bigger than her head. 

“Here we go my finest work. It is the best implant that can be made there is tech in this thing that is available nowhere else besides my lab on the Normandy as we picked up some interesting things in our travels and the best have been distilled down into this device.” Odysseus said his voice now free of his speakers Solana found the twins voices very soothing. 

She picked up on the distinct pride in the brother’s voice reassuring her that this was the best hope for her mother. “Will the new pieces add any cost to the bill?” Solana asked dreading the answer. 

“No we found it while looking for something else and it took no time really to adjust the design plus I am counting it as a name day gift to your brother.” Eris said and Solana breathed a sigh of relief and with the payment for the finished implant transferred the guards that her father sent to take her and the implant home transferred it into the ship. 

“Well brother I will say hello to mother for you, make sure to call soon.” She said as she hugged him watching the guards ready the ship to leave. 

“Take care of yourself Sol.” Her brother said and after a few more minutes talking he turned to look at the humans, the brother had the Quarian trapped in his arms as he leaned against the shuttle and he seemed to be whispering something to her that made the young woman squirm. 

“I better go and rescue Tali from her new boyfriend or we might not make it to dinner.” Garrus sighing. 

“You’re going to dinner with them?” 

“Yeah their parents wanted to meet me and Tali for dinner for helping the twins with their projects.” Garrus said and left before she could tease him.

Tali was worried about meeting the twins’ mothers as she really wanted them to like her because the twins spoke of them so highly. As they Round a corner to get to the restaurant Tali felt a pair of arms wrap around her and she squeaked and turned to tell her boyfriend off as the twins still traveled the ship cloaked Tali had sadly gotten used to being snuck on, but she they realised she had been holding his hand so who could have done it? 

“{om will you not get handsy with my girlfriend what would mother think?} Odysseus called to the empty air. 

{I would ask to join in or at least watch I mean have you seen how cute she is?} A Quarian with a musical voice appeared with a suit in similar design pattern to Eris’s but in a silver suit with gold sashes with silver thread. 

{I would always let you join in dear it would be no fun otherwise.} A second quarian said as she appeared wearing a black suit with moss green sashes with emerald stitching.

Tali heard Odysseus sigh loudly. {Tali, garrus meet our mothers. The one in silver is Lura'Saemos Vas star-chaser the one in black is Zuro'Jeemas Vas star-chaser.} 

Eris sighed along with her brother before speaking. {Just once I would like to be able to introduce you guys to people without something like this happening now how about we do get dinner.} 

{Of course dear and I love the new look it matches your new boy toy perfectly.} Zuro said making Eris blush and Odysseus snicker before Lura chimed in. 

{Laugh it up my little demo your outfit is even worse, I mean you ditched you lovely red sashes for those purple ones with crimson threads and the visor so who is more whipped?} Odysseus groaned as Tali laughed and wrapped an arm around him to offer comfort.

As they entered the restaurant, the host saw them coming and turned yelling something into the back but Garrus was too far to hear he just hoped that it did not mean trouble. 

"Shadow! Demo! You two have a lot of nerve coming around here. You don’t call me once in the last four months and look at you two it is clear the alliance is not feeding its new specters right. Come own let’s get some meat on your bones." A tall Turian Female yelled as she came out before dragging the twins off leaving the partners confused and their parents amused. 

“What just happened?” Garrus asked very confused. 

“That would be their old nanny the only one who besides us could get the twins to listen.” Zuro said wrapping an arm around each of the twins’ partners’ shoulders and guiding them off in the wake of the turian shape hurricane.

The dinner was perfect all around and the mothers invited the couples back to their ship for drinks. They reached the ship and Garrus was impressed by the tech the ship had. 

{There she is our star-chaser!} Lura said showing a repurpose a turian frigate. After a quick tour they settled in what amounted to the den. 

“How many is on your crew?” Garrus asked. 

{Us two and whoever we hire on at the time, we use reprogrammed Loki mechs and high grade VI to control the ship and keep cost low.} Lura explained as she served out drinks. 

{Before we get too far into our drinks we have your name day gifts combined with gifts for becoming specters.} Zuro said and at a nod from her mate they each pulled out a simple small case each. 

Taking the cases the twins opened them and their Jaws fell open at the same time, Garrus leaned over Eris’s shoulder to see what it was and saw something he did not recognize but it looked like a biotic amp and a collar of some kind to go with it. 

{Holy shit how did you guys even get these there not on the market for another two months?} Eris asked. 

{It is funny really we found a pirate the had stolen a crate of them and the bounty had all things found on the ship and the ship itself on the bounty reward and we modded the amps to work with you enhancements better as well.} Lura said a bit smug sounding. 

“What makes these amps so good?” Garrus asked not understanding the twin’s reaction. 

{These amps were designed with people like Demo and I mind as we really only use our biotics for close range fighting or using one or two highly refined skills with a lot of Omni combat tech that is what the collar is for it links to our Omni-tools helping the cool down times and power output.} Eris explained. 

Tali saw her chance and spoke up. {Then maybe Garrus’s and I’s gifts will help even more.} She said pulling out the two cases and passing one marked with a large stylized ‘E’ on it to Garrus before handing Odysseus his. 

Watching him open it she also kept an eye on the mother’s reaction to the recon hoods they pulled out. {Wow these are great!} Odysseus said after slipping the hood on the eyes light up with crimson eyes and light lines. 

{Yeah these with our new amps will allow us to kick far more ass thanks all of you.} Eris said. 

The twins then turned to their mothers and asked for the hardware. Tali was confuse what hardware. 

{Don’t worry I got them all made all that is left is adding the program in.} Zuro said laying out three suit control systems. 

Tali watched as Odysseus uploaded something into all three before picking up one that had purple tracings with crimson edging on it. 

{Tali here is the completed prototype for the suit program.} Odysseus said putting on Tali as she sat stunned and when the program ran a quick calibration she saw that it already had a projection chart that showed with temp boosters she might be able to spend the night with Odysseus in less than a month if she could deal with a slight fever. 

{Thank you Odysseus!} She cried before launching herself at him. 

{You know if you are his boyfriend you can probably call him Demo.} Lura said blandly.

“Where did those nicknames even come from?” Garrus asked. 

{That my dear is simple Demo is short for Demolisher and Shadow along with Demolisher are the class names they were trained in for the N7 program.} Zuro explained before Lura added. 

{It also describes their habits as Demo likes to make things explode while our little shadow likes to sneak everywhere.} The rest of the night past calmly and morning saw the two couples head back to their ship to head for the next lead on Saren.


	15. Noveria

Odysseus woke to the best feeling he had ever felt as when he stirred a pair of cloth covered arms tightened around with a grumble. Odysseus smiled at the feeling savouring it for as long as he could before he sighed and slowly rose gently shaking his sleepy girlfriend. 

{Come my heart it is time to get up we have to ready ourselves for the frozen waste that is Norveria.} He whispered in her mic pickups. 

{Five more minutes please!} Tali whined at him in a sleepy voice, Odysseus smiled but simply said. 

{You can sleep for five more minutes or you can help me stretch your choice.} Tali bolted up at his words he smirked as he settled his visor in place, he knew that she loved any excuse to touch him and he her but stretching in the morning meant she could touch bare skin something he rarely showed. 

{I’ll help!... you don’t play fair.} Tali said pouting Demo just laughed {I have never once claimed to play fair.}

They helped each other stretch out while enjoying the contact greatly Odysseus love the silky feel of Tali’s suit. Across the ship Garrus and Eris were doing the same thing as the twins had been raised among Quarians they found touch a much more intimate thing and thus believed that stretching together helped build a better foundation for relationships along with open honest communication. Before exiting their rooms both twins vanished in a shimmer of sparking light. 

the crew while on duty were always careful to not goof off as they never knew when their commanders could be looking over their shoulders as the only time the twins decloaked was when they were directly working with a group now that they were in command of the ship. 

Joker hailed the planet below and received a very harsh welcome. “Warm people I think I’ll take my next shore leave here.” He said to what most would think is the empty air. 

“Ah the people almost make the hot tub and corporate hookers not worth it.” Eris quipped from under her cloak while her brother laughed alongside her. 

“Yeah I remember the last time I was here, I spent the entire time wishing for the krogan homeworld it is much more welcoming.” Joker raised an eyebrow at the comments but he had long since learned that asking would get him nowhere, instead he just piloted the frigate into the correct bay while the ground time massed at the airlock.

Garrus walked beside the twins on Eris’s right flank as they walked down the dock. The security team told them to halt. “You will need to wait here while we verify your landing clearance also weapons are forbidden on Noveria, lieutenant Stirling secure their weapons.” The captain said as a lieutenant came forward to take their weapons. 

“That will not be necessary as my team will stand right here until clearance comes, but your lieutenant lays one hand on my team and I will not be held responsible for what happens to her for interfering with a pair of specters mission.” Odysseus spoke in his cold hard battle field voice that made Garrus’s blood run cold and he could tell that many of the guards felt it to. 

A tense standoff was just starting when a voice broke over the PA telling the captain to stand down.  


Tali watched as they started to head out when she heard the lieutenant that had been a Bosh’ Tet say. “Watch yourself, I’ll be watching and if you slip up I will end you.” She growled and faster than anyone could blink Odysseus had his shotgun leveled at her head. 

“Did you just threaten a council specter?” His voice cold and the lieutenant paled at the sight of a barrel of a shotgun touching her nose. After a pause Demo holstered his gun and waked off calling over his shoulder. “That is what I thought don’t write check your ass can’t cash.” 

Tali and the others followed after him and after talking with the head of the base then getting the run around by several people they headed back to the ship to plan their next move.

Odysseus spoke to the gathered team. “Alright here is the game plan I will be sneaking into the offices to grab the data without anyone finding out while I do that I want you guys ready to move, this should not take too long but I want garrus, Wrex and Ashley on standby near the elevator just encase I run into trouble.” 

After they went over what would be needed for the mission and who would be in what vehicle when they got the pass they team moved out with Odysseus cloaked before leaving the ship.

Odysseus moved slowly and silently through the air ducts of the office until he was in the vent directly over the office and looked down. The lieutenant from earlier was preforming an illegal search of the room and he realised that he would not be able to get the data before her if he did not do something, then he smiled as he realised that as a specter he could kill a criminal but he would do something worse as he thought. 

He pulled up his left Omni-tool and recorded the bitch wrecking the place before sending the vid to the captain of the guard and he waited with his Omni-bow drawn just in case the bitch moved for the computer when a voice broke over the Omni-tool of the bitch the projecting into the air with a very irate sounding captain calling her back to the office. 

When she cleared out Odysseus dropped down from the ceiling and while still cloaked stole the data needed quickly before jumping with his biotics into the vent again and leaving without anyone knowing he was ever there.

Eris got the data from her brother as he moved the long way around to erase any trace of his passing. Using the data and a small bribe she convinced the owner of the data to testify against the head of the base. Then the team moved to the garage entrance and met up with her brother. After entering the garage they were set upon by geth. Diving for cover the twins cloaked and ordered the team to spread out. 

Tali ducked behind cover and as she fired she saw a geth hunter suddenly drop its cloak and swing at where she knew Demo to be just as she was about to call a warning Demo shimmered into existence with an Omni-shield on his left arm to catch the blow before an explosive bolt slammed into the optics. 

The order came to release her drone and she summoned it while calling out. “Go for the optics Chatika go for the optics.” At the same time she hear. 

“aim for the optics gizmo aim for the optics” from Demo and then she heard Ashley snicker as she had done every time it happen as the soldier seemed to find the fact that both engineers had named their drones and told them to hit the optics highly amusing. 

When the last geth fell the team assembled and prepared to head out with Ashley driving the alpha team’s mako and Wrex driving the beta team’s as both twins fully admitted that neither of them could drive a land vehicle to save their lives.


	16. confront the mother

Tali was amazed by how calm Demo was as he made shot after shot into the geth blocking the path even while they dangled nearly half off the road from when Ash hit a larger patch of ice. “You know Ash I let you drive because I did not want to die if you could not drive you should have said so.” His dry voice drifted down from the gunner’s seat. 

“Don’t worry skipper I will get you there in one piece.” Ashley yelled back as she gunned it in reverse and backed up over a geth. 

“Chief correct me if I am wrong but last time I check geth did not count as terrain right?” Demo’s dry voice called. 

“That is correct sir.” Ashley’s Dry voice answered while Tali clung to the control panel for the Comms trying not to be sick as they ran over another geth. 

“Then explain to me why we are driving an all-terrain vehicle over items that are not terrain.” 

“It is the fastest route sir!” Came the response 

“Ah, carry on then but try not to kill us while doing so.” Came the bored response followed by the dull thud of the cannon going off to blast to blast a prime into ash.

The rest of the journey past for Tali in a blur of running over the geth and nearly driving off the cliffs. When they climbed out Odysseus called out. “Well that was fun I have never nearly died so much while in a tank.” 

Ashley was blushing deeply as they move. Eris and Odysseus vanished as they cloaked to keep their numbers hidden. Tali found that having him cloaked and knowing he was watching them was very calming except when the rachni workers showed up and they looked like spiders! 

“Spiders!” She shouted before starting to shoot them with her shotgun, the sound of a land mine going off when the last one died was the team’s only warning before Demo came flying through the air and crashed into the wall behind her with a sickening thud. 

{Demo!} Eris screamed before they saw what had hit the captain and heard rex roar and unload his rifle into it. When the rachni soldiers finally died they saw Odysseus starting to stir.  


“That hurt a bit.” Demo groaned. 

“What happened?” Eris asked worried as she had never know her brother to mess up with his mines before. 

“Damn thing jumped out of the vents right on top of the mines I had just finished laying, I had time to bring my shield and barrier up before the shock wave hit me hard.” He said as he stood up and dusted himself off. “Now how about we find out why there are bugs that should be extinct running around.”

Garrus watched the twins moved off cloaked once more but this time they adjusted their scanners to search for rachni in the vents and the engineers release their drones to scout ahead. They finally came across the VI core and Odysseus and Tali hopped down to get it working again as they worked the group fell under attack again. Eris’s SMG proved very useful in killing the smaller workers while the group cleared the bugs the engineers stayed in the core getting it up and running. When they surfaced again they discovered that there were two stations that needed repair before they could move on. 

Odysseus turned to the group and ordered. “Alright alpha will head into the reactor core to power it back up while beta heads up to the line to get them reconnected. Kaidan you and Liara stay here and hold this position there is no telling how many of these annoying things there are understood.” 

Garrus saw Kaidan stand taller at the chance to prove himself to the captain. ‘I hope he is careful not to get him or the doc killed.’ Garrus thought but he could had seen Kaidan training hard to prove himself and make up for whatever failure had landed him on the back up team.

Eris moved her team into the elevator and enjoyed the closeness of Garrus near her but when the doors started to open she was all business as they moved with her cloaked and Garrus hanging back to provide cover. They were set upon by the rachni and they quickly learned why the Salarians had up lifted the Krogan to fight them as Wrex proved to be more than a match for them as he seemed to enjoy stomping them while Garrus and Eris moved as one taking down anything that tried to flank the living tank. 

Eris moved to reconnect the lines and signaled the backup team they were on their way down, Garrus enjoyed the sight of Eris in her recon hood with her heavy Quarian armor as she moved with predatory grace into the elevator he knew that his dad would blow a vein when he found out but he did not care as he knew that this woman would be his mate if he had any say in the matter.

Odysseus led the team into the core and they found it crawling with geth. “Alright standard form let’s kill these over grown toasters so I can get back to the ship and enjoy a nice relaxing evening if possible.” He called before vanishing and the rest of the team drew their weapons and waited until their HUD’s showed all the targets that Demo could find and where he was before a signal flashed telling them to begin the hunt. 

When the fighting started they began their standard tactics Ashley targeting the larger geth while Tali and Odysseus used their hacking to take control of weaker geth before unleashing their drones with their standard war cry’s that still made Ashley snicker. 

“Aim for the optics Gizmo Aim for the optics!” 

“Go for the optics Chatika Go for the optics.” When the drones were launched Odysseus dropped his cloak and turned on his Omni-shield and bow. 

Tali moved to the cover provided by the large shield and covered Demo with her own shotgun this tactic had appeared as the two became closer while exploring the planets for resources. When the last geth exploded from a bolt to the power core Odysseus moved to start the core back up with Tali’s help while Ash swept to make sure they were all down and strip them of anything useful like thermal clips and shield/ cloak batteries. 

The rest of the travel to the research station was easy after Kaidan had roasted the bugs in the transit room instead of just waiting for the teams to get back. Odysseus just nodded and told him good job and to keep it up, a simple praise but Kaidan stood a lot taller after that the twins may not like him personally but they always gave credit where it was due. The team found the remaining security team and researchers hiding in the main room of the base and after doing some small tasks for them Odysseus called them over to a small side room. 

“That asari is lying about why she is here.” He said and Liara looked confused. 

“She was rude yes but how does that imply that she is hiding something.” 

Eris piped up at that in a gentle voice. “All the other researchers said something along the lines of a confidentially agreement when asked about their work but she just rambled a bunch of false medical shit in hopes of throwing us off.” 

“So what is the game plan?” Garrus asked seeing the twins had an idea. 

“A fun and dangerous idea, Eris will cloak up here while Tali and I use a pair of high grade projectors to make it look like she is with us and when the bitch makes her move Eris will kill her.” 

“Can the commander handle an asari assassin?” Liara asked as she knew the skill some asari commandos had. 

“It would not be the first time I killed an asari even if she is a matriarch commando I can still handle her.” Eris said in a tone that did not invite questions on how she was so confident.

When the team went down to deal with the plague cure Eris remained behind and waited for the bitch to make her move, when she moved to the elevators and drew a weapon about to kill the guards Eris moved her shock blade sliced the head off her shoulders in a single smooth movement but she had waited until the guards had seen the weapon and been about to fire before she killed the assassin. 

“You boys are welcome.” She said casually before stripping the assassin for anything of use while waiting for the teams to return. 

When they did they approached the head of security and revealed that they had dealt with the plague and killed an assassin who had been about to kill some of his men and with that and Eris’s natural ability to play with men’s minds with charm they got permission to use the restricted access elevator. 

Demo noticed Liara becoming tenser as they descended into the hot labs. “Relax doc if it is at all possible we will help you mother if for no other reason that it would make it easier to find Saren but know this Eris and I both hate killing so we will do everything we can to end this with bloodshed.” He vowed and that seemed to calm the young asari. 

“I know I just can’t believe mother had something to do with this.” 

“Keep in mind that the asari we found on feros told us that Saren’s ship could infect your mind.” Eris reminded Liara gently, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. 

“That is right, Tali make sure you cams are recording the council will never believe us unless we have a lot of evidence.” Odysseus orders and he and Eris started their own suits recorders.

When they finally found Benezia Odysseus called out. “Matriarch we wish to speak with you on behalf of the council in regards to your actions with the rouge specter Saren, please come with us peacefully and you will not be harmed or mistreated.” 

“Bringing my child here will not allow you to control me I have seen saren’s light!” Liara looked sick at her words. 

“She is here by her own choice not to garner pity out of you!” Eris called and the twins noticed the fact that their hoods were picking up the signals of many geth and asari in the nearby area. 

They sent a signal to the HUD’s of their team to be ready for anything but to avoid killing the matriarch if at all possible for questioning. At length the asari attacked and tried to launch a stasis field at them but Odysseus Darted forward and threw out a massive barrier bubble that left the all of the beings in the room expect Eris astounded at the size and power this one human was showing.

“Now take them out!” Demo yelled as he held the barrier up covering the corner of the room they were in allowing the team to open fire without seeking shelter. 

With the fire power they were packing the enemies swiftly fell and Eris took a shot that left the asari matriarch a crumpled heap. When last foe fell from a head shot from Eris that splattered the asari’s head across a wall. The group approached the downed matriarch as found her wounded but alive. 

“Little wing is that you?” Benezia called out weakly upon seeing Liara who had tears in her eyes, they continued talking finding out that they needed to travel through the miu relay to reach Ilos. 

“Thank you we will patch you up and place you in council custody.” Odysseus said but Benezia refused saying that she was being controlled by Saren and his ship. 

“Never the less we can restrain you and get you help matriarch this would at the very least help us make a case against Saren. Please don’t make us kill you in front of your own daughter we know what the death of a parent in front of a child can do to a child.” Eris begged not wanting to have the blood of a friend’s mother on her hands and she could see that her brother felt the same. 

“Good night little wing live well and proud and know I love you and you have made me so proud.” Benezia said and before anyone could react she gestured glowing blue, Odysseus threw a barrier around the group but too late realized what the matriarch was doing as her head violently snapped around killing her. Liara made a choking noise as she collapsed while the twins stared shocked at what they had just seen.

The Rachni queen with no sense of timing chose then to spoke to them and at length the released her saying there had been enough death. With that they exited the room leading a grief stuck Liara out while Eris and Odysseus stay back to set the charge and bolt for the exit and made it just in time to get out of range. They reported that the problem had been dealt with and headed back to the ship where Liara after getting her checkup retreated to her office. While the twins reported to the council got chewed out over releasing the rachni on the galaxy but they passed on the recording of the incident which calmed the council when they realized that the twins had just seen a mother kill herself for her child and learned that the queen was truly repentant about the war and just want to be left in peace. 

“I still think it was a mistake to let the queen go but given what you had just went through and what it said along with what had been done to it I can see why you did it. I just hope we don’t pay the price for your kindness.” The turian councillor said while the others admitted that the video would play a large role in deciding their actions regarding Saren. 

Odysseus and Eris after the meeting and stretching out with the partners grabbed Liara and dragged her to the captains’ room where a table was set up with a large amount of alcohol. “What is this for?” Liara asked confused. 

“Simple we are going to do what my brother and I have always done since we were old enough to drink when we lost someone close to use.” Eris said in a chipper voice her burred voiced soothing. 

“Basically we drink and tell stories about the one we lost and remember them as they were when they were at their happiest not how they died.” Odysseus explained before pushing a bottle of a rare asari whiskey to Liara. The rest of the night ways passed in drunken tales of the loved ones lost over the years that ended with Liara curled up on the bed while Garrus sat on the floor wrapped around Eris with Odysseus in a similar position wrapped around Tali.


	17. bring down the sky

Odysseus stepped away from the command station having just told joker to set course for the asteroid heading for the planet, He thanked the ancestors that the Normandy had been passing by while waiting for a new lead on Saren to pop up. “All ground team members report to the ready room for mission briefing.” He called over the ship wide channel and moved to the room himself to await the teams’ arrival. Tali was the first to arrive after him, she came up and gave him a quick hug before sitting to his left. The rest filed in quickly.

Garrus was sitting in the co-pilot seat unhappy that they would have to deal with surface to air auto defences, ‘who in the spirits names has this kind of defences and still loses the damn rock without losing the defences?’ He thought bitterly as he watched Demo launch down towards the asteroid’s first torch. 

The shuttle dropped moments after the fighter and he was suddenly glad that he had set the gun up the way he liked as Eris and Odysseus might be some of the best pilots out there but even they could not make this ground to air fight easy. 

{Keelah! I hate these fucking guns!} Demo snapped over the Comms as Garrus saw him snap into a slanting roll to dodge a wave of missile fire as he launched his own. The cannons blasted apart and when it was clear the shuttle landed at the first torch while the fighter zoomed off overhead to deal with the other torches to sped things along.

Eris hated this mission because as soon as they had opened the doors they found fucking Batarians attacking them. “Take those assholes down!” She snapped as she vanished in a shimmer of light, with the back-up team holding the craft to prevent being flanked she was in command of both of the main ground teams but just let them follow their usual patterns. 

Ashley and Tali worked together to cover the other team while the pair of Garrus and Wrex drew attention Allowing Eris to sneak around to flank them and unleash her SMG on them, the last target fell in a hail of bullets and blood spray. While the teams moved to strip the downed enemies of anything of value Eris moved to shut down the torch, when the woman came on the Comms talking to them Eris snapped at her. 

“Unless you have something useful to say or add get the fuck off the lines, every time you open your mouth you but you people and more importantly mine in danger!” She had little patience for fools like this. The woman shut up and turned off the Comm. 

“Come on let’s move I just hope my brother is alright against that many turrets.” Eris said and Tali also looked nervous.

Odysseus was cursing whatever fool had installed these weapons then never turned them on the terrorists. Demo was having a hard time keep the missile fire from hitting him while taking the damn things out it would have been easier if he could snipe them using longer runs but the damn things only opened up in a certain range giving him a narrow window to shoot the stations before passing them and he had to do this all while dodging the missiles. 

‘I am really putting my skills to the test here, if I die here Tali will never forgive me.’ He thought as a missile barely missed his wings. When he finished with the last site he moved to radio his team hoping they were okay, they had been told not to call him unless things went really south as a single mistake while flying that close to a plasma torch could easily kill him. 

“Come in ground team. What is the SITREP?” He called over the Comms. 

“Demo? Oh Keelah thank the ancestors you’re okay we took out the first torch and a working on the second but there is a mine field and your sister is cloaked and moving through it currently as the terrorists are on to us and are now guarding the base.” Tali answered him 

“Roger on route now.” He called as his ship swung around.

Eris moved with stealth as she stalked across the mine field and soon she reached the doors and saw to her joy that the trio of guards were not looking at each other, she used her recon hood to scan for Comm signals. Seeing none she moved to the closest guard and with a single swift move her razor sharp blade slid into the man piercing his lung before she jerked her sword to cleave the spine in two. Slowly she lowered the body to the ground, her brother and she may hate killing those who were simply fighting for what they believed in but she and her brother loved killing bigots and more importantly slavers. She repeated a silent killing style for the next two guards and shut off the mine field just in time for her brother to arrive and land shortly followed by the rest of the ground team.

Odysseus hopped out of his fighter and walked up to the corpses laying on the ground and smiled he hated slavers to the point where unless he was bound by time limits none of them died quickly or painlessly and that was part of the reason he and his sister were feared in the underworld for their love of making slavers into examples. A sick freak of an artist at one point followed them on their hunt of slavers somehow arriving before the police or local equal to take pictures and turn them into paintings for his gallery. He moved towards the doors walking over top of the corpse in his way. They entered the building and the twins vanished in a shimmer of light while the teams moved into position and began the quick and bloody task of killing the terrorists. 

When this torch fell they moved to the next one meeting the head engineer who nearly shot Odysseus and got a lecture for his trouble and then they moved off to the next one. It fell just as quickly and when the torch shut off the Comms came alive with the sound of a terrorist threating the woman on the Comm so Odysseus stepped up.

“~Yo Blinky yo-whoo Blinky can you hear me~” Odysseus said in a sing song voice knowing it would piss the terrorist off to end. 

“Who is this!” the voice demanded “This is Captain Odysseus Shepard and let me tell you something blink I am having a bad day so I suggest you surrender.” 

“Fuck you human your kind will pay for what they have done.” The voice responded before it cut out. 

Odysseus turned to his team and said. “Well I think this arse needs to die anyone think different?” 

When none objected he loaded the team into the ships and set course for the command center. When they arrived he sent everyone wanting to leave nothing to chance and the hacked sensors showed a large number of enemies. When the twins cloaked before entering he had the backup team move forward when the group went ahead of the twins to draw the attention of the terrorist Eris moved with the main group while Odysseus hung back to prepare a backup plan.

__________

Balak walked down the stairs having just watched the humans tear apart his men he was impressed but his people deserved more than what happened to them so he would get revenge for them. He began speaking and demanded they let him and his crew go or he would blow the humans he had prisoner to pieces, even if the group before him had shown his men no mercy even when he knew that some had surrendered to them the pair of strangely armor humans seemed to enjoy killing his kind. 

“Last chance let me and my men walk or lose your humans both on this rock and on the planet below.” He barked at the human and the human’s body language showed this made him mad and that pleased Balak. 

“Fine arsehole leave neither my team or I will make any attempt to stop you leaving this place but pray to whatever twist ugly ass things you kind worship that you never met me again or you death will be very slow and painful.” The human spoke and something in his voice sent a shiver down Balak’s spine knowing the human would make go on his words. 

“We will not meant again human.” He growled before ordering his team out, they approached the exit and balak smiled at the thought of how upset the human must be to let him walk but a single push of a button and those humans would die. His team entered the corridor of the base leading to the base when the lights flickered before the hallway became full of fire and shrapnel that tore through him and his guards.

Odysseus approached the bloody mess that was the remains of the terrorists while his team diffused the bombs. He sank to down on his heels looking at a groaning tore up creature that only had one eye still in his head. “Guess your bastard deity’s weren’t listening now were they?” He asked the thing that once was Balak. 

“H-How did you?” the dying man barley coughed out. 

“Oh that is easy one way directional mines placed while I was cloaked. After you entered they turned on and when you tried to leave they went off, you want to know why I hate your kind, slavers not your race I have known some half decent members of your race but slavers I really hate your kind. And the reason for that is I live in the underworld just like you and I have seen what happens to those in your care and not just humans but every race I have ever come across so I take great pleasure in killing you kind in painful ways.” Odysseus and he saw Balak was dying so he pulled out a small injector from a hidden pocket and stuck it in the man emptying it before rising and turning to leave and the man writhed.

Balak felt the needle Peirce him then his veins started to burn and he felt himself dying at a slower rate somehow as the fire built higher and he knew at once this was a poison made by his people to kill enemies of state in as painful way as possible. As he lay dying he thought about nothing but the burning pain as the world faded to blackness of death. 

The twins were sitting in the mess eating with the ground crew and Garrus turned to the twins and asked. “How did you guys know to plant bombs?” 

“Simple hostage tactics those slaver cowards always use.” Eris explained, while Kaidan asked something that had been bothering him. 

“What if he had used a dead man switch? Surely you would not have just let them die?” 

“Kaidan if he had been using a type of dead man that is was always broad casting they would have died simple as that but if it was a type that would pulse a signal when they trigger then the small emp would have stopped them.” Odysseus explained and Eris nodded, Kaidan surged to his feet. 

“WHAT you were willing to gamble with people’s lives like that?!” he asked horrified that the winners of the star of terra would do that. 

“The man would have gone on to kill a lot more people so I gave them a chance which is better than the none they would have had if we fought him as the man had to be stopped and I will always make the choice that get the fewest people killed.” Odysseus said and Tali took his hand in support knowing he would always try and save those who could be saved and redeemed except for those who enslaved others. 

Eris and Garrus nodded along with him and Kaidan looked very upset before storming off leaving the rest of the ground crew even Liara who had been sitting frightened by the argument thinking that Kaidan still did not understand that the world was a hard place and nothing was black and white.


	18. Virmire part one

Odysseus stood at the command station over-looking his crew with his visor screen expanded to cover his whole face as he watched the data feeds scroll by, the crew watched their commander standing there like his name sake at the helm of his own ship. The captain stood arms behind his back dressed in an environment suit of camo greens with royal purple sashes in a wrapped hoodie and short kilt style with crimson lightening patterns running over them. 

Everyone on the crew could feel the tension from the ground team it had been nearly three weeks of waiting for even a trace of Saren they had kept busy by tracking a killer with Garrus who they convinced to try and take in instead of killing to insure that he paid and suffered for his crimes only for him to die when he tried to kill them, they tracked down some slavers and threatened an asari ambassador who tried to use them. Turned a crime ring around to some degree and even found Wrex’s family armor for which he named the twins honorary members of his clan and Kratt. Now the crew was racing towards the planet Virmire hoping to find the lead they needed to finally end the rouge specter.

Tali sat in the med bay getting a check up to make sure the program was reading the bio feedback right and that it was not effecting her adversely. “Well Tali your system in far better shape than when you first came aboard. You may even be able to sleep without you mask on now so long as you wash it before going to bed and after you wake up, if you have any make out sessions with Demo make sure to use this mouth wash before along with after and make sure he also uses it as well.” Karin told her making her glad she had her mask on so the doc could not see her blushing at the thought of finally feeling him kissing her. 

“Thank you doctor, I can’t wait to be able to spend a night out of my suit as that is the benchmark Odysseus set before I could send it to the fleet.” Tali said bouncing on her feet slightly at the thought of sending the plans to the fleet. Karin smiled gently at her. 

“I am sure Demo is eagerly awaiting that day as well he wants to help your people so much for all they have done for him and his sister.” She said to Tali who nodded before excusing herself to go and prepare for the mission as they would be there in less than two hours.

Eris sat at her terminal sorting through her underworld contacts, the twins were well known among the underworld respected by many and feared by many more. The number of criminals who called them friend should normally be a red flag for most. The twins had friends and contacts in high and low places among the underworld they were known only as Demo and shadow the human Quarians who had once purged omega of its slaver population in a hunt for a certain person who had caused the blitz and when they finally found him he did not die slowly or painlessly. 

His hideout and body were left as a warning to all about what happened when you incurred the wrath of the twins. Her contacts had come up with nothing on this base they were going to and that had both twins worried as if the people with the galaxy’s best thief pair and most dangerous drell assassin on their Christmas card list could not find anything what could be hiding there.

Garrus sat in the shuttle waiting for the launch apparently the AA towers would not be able to target the small fighter so long as it kept low so Odysseus would be performing a trench run to clear the path for the shuttle before the set down to disable the towers. When the shuttle landed under the cover fire of the fighter they moved quickly to take out the Tower’s defenses while Odysseus climbed out of the fighter and released his drone with Kaidan and Liara covering him and Eris while they sniped from the ships directing their teams trough Comms and HUDS to clear the buildings. 

The Teams moved well showing just how far they had come as a team. Ashley pushed Garrus out of the way and ducked in time to avoid being hit by a rocket, Ashley just, smirked at him before pulling her shotgun out and moving to guard Tali as she hacked into the mainframe of the tower to shut it down. 

When the last tower fell and the Normandy landed Joker radioed Odysseus, “Demo we have a problem the ship is grounded, I will let the Salarian captain explain when you get here.” 

“Roger Joker we will be there soon.” Odysseus said before turning to the ground team to deliver the new orders. “Alright I guess nice and simple scouting op is out the window. Let’s go see what nasty mess awaits us.” 

Every one nodded and piled in to the ships, Odysseus saw Wrex nudge Ashley. “What was that you were saying that if this goes wrong you would pay for my drinks next shore leave?” Wrex said chuckling while Ashley groaned.

The ground team landed and stored the ships before heading to meet the Salarian captain. “Captain Kirrahe Salarian STG are you the head of the reinforcement fleet?” the captain asked and a look was shared between the twins. 

“We are the reinforcements, the message was so badly damaged that it was just static we were sent to find out what happened here.” Odysseus said already getting a very bad feeling about this. 

“What! I called for an entire fleet sending a single ship to investigate defeats the purpose of us being here I already lost half my men looking into this base.” The captain said clearly unhappy about this. 

“Well fuck, this is bad. Alright bring us up to speed on what you know and what we have available to work with.” Eris said, when the captain reached the part about a cure for the krogan Genophage Wrex nearly lost it when the captain said it needed to be destroyed. 

After Wrex stormed off the captain asked if he would be a problem. “Don’t worry about him we will handle it. Eris go calm Wrex I need my walking tank ready and focused, while you do that Kirrahe and I will plan our lanes of attack.” Odysseus order before moving off with the captain.

“This is wrong! Shadow this cure could save my people.” Wrex said turning from the water to face the tiny camo suited human. 

“I know Wrex I know, but here is my plan and while I came over I messaged Demo about it and he approved it.” Shadow said laying a hand on Wrex’s shoulder and he calmed a bit knowing that the twins hated what had been done to his people nearly as much as the suffering their adoptive race the quarians angered them. 

“What we have seen thus far may indicate that this not in fact a cure but just a cloning lab, but if it has any data on krogan genetics and Genophage research we will swipe a copy of it and use it to start on a cure as part of our next two projects. This is our vow to you Wrex we will help the krogan, I have met and fought beside many proud warriors of you people and know them to be more than savage war hounds so we will help your people.” Shadow vowed to Wrex and Wrex looked at the tiny human who had while speaking removed her recon hood. 

She now stood there with her face exposed and catlike eye looking into his own and Wrex knew that the number of people who had seen these eye were very few so he knew this was a solemn vow to him and his people. ‘If anyone can make a cure for my people it is these twins who have already created a cure for the quarians and a treatment for many brain diseases out there.’ Wrex thought before agreeing to their terms.

The team was brought up to sped on the plan when it was finished, Odysseus stood in front of his team and laid out the plan. “Alright here is how it shakes down given this I a stealth op for our ground team’s part we will be running just a single team this op. the team is myself, Eris with Tali and Garrus all out fitted with tactical cloaks. 

"Ashley will be working with Kirrahe’s team to provide better Comm relations, Kaidan you will be working with the rest of the ground team to ready the nuke then you will do the final preps while we pick up the Salarian team after dropping of the bomb.” Every one nodded at the plan, Kaidan stood taller happy to be given the job of readying the nuke it may not be the front lines but it was important and to Kaidan it meant the captain and Commander were finally starting to really trust him again.


	19. Virmire part two the final hours

Tali felt odd wearing the tactical cloak the inability to see one’s self except for an outline on her HUD gave her a whole new appreciation for the fact that the twins walked around like this almost constantly. The team moved into position and radioed the Salarian team to tell them that they were ready to begin. Once they started moving the took out the long way around taking strides to avoid Geth contact, they reached a sat Comm station for missile strikes on the Salarian team and Odysseus ordered Tali to move to flank the geth at the station while Garrus moved to the other flank and Demo moved behind the geth trapping the geth in a four prong assault that tore the geth to shreds. 

Tali watched Demo approach the terminal the geth had been using after a few moments of hacking the sat Comm started sparking and Odysseus ordered them to cover as the station’s equipment started exploding left and right. “Well I don’t think they will be using that station again.” Eris remarked before they cloaked again and moved onwards.

Garrus watched Eris as she moved to the Comm relay of the geth and started doing something to it before stepping away allowing Garrus to see a layer of explosives on it and he smiled the twins really loved making things explode. The fireworks of the Comm relay caused Geth to swarm them, Tali and Demo moved to crouch next to each other as Demo and Tali pulled up their Omni-tools and summoned their drones before throwing on Tech armor that Demo had worked into both of their suits in the three week wait the armor meant that Demo could move more before having to draw the large and cumbersome Omni-shield. 

Garrus and Eris worked as one to clear the air born drones with Garrus harrying them into Eris’s scopes, while Odysseus and Tali worked as a team to deal with the troops on the ground as Demo pulled out his sniper rifle and focused only on the targets in his scope trusting the drones and Tali to keep him safe from anything trying to flank. 

Tali loved watching her boyfriend as he fired his beloved sniper rifle as he became almost a different person as the energy that buzzed around him stopped and was replaced with this cool detached aura as he dropped target after target never missing once. Eris and Garrus were turning the drones into fireworks with disruptor rounds as Odysseus used cryo rounds to slow the troopers when one froze he burst it with a pyro disk. The last trooper shattered as a drone crashed into it and the team rested for a moment before gathering any ammo and batteries they found before moving on and having to repeat the same thing at fueling station.

The final road block was the doors themselves as along with Geth there was also a large Krogan who charged them ignoring the fire of the team, he nearly crashed into Tali before Odysseus tackled her out of the way. Demo rolled up to his feet and brought his shield to bear and holstered his shotgun knowing in a close quarter fight like this the chance of hitting his own team was too high for him to risk it instead he activated his Omni-blade on his right arm. Tali wanted to help her love but she knew she would not get a clean shot so instead as much as it hurt her she turned away and focused on not letting any of these Boshes ’Tet’s through to help their ally, the noises she heard had her worried. 

Others were holding off the rest but Odysseus could not spare a glance at them and had to trust they would be fine as he had his hands full facing off against a full grown Battlemaster krogan who Clearly had been around the block a time or two. He ducked another swing rolling to lunge and cut deeply into the left leg of the krogan who growled in response. 

‘Well fuck this is not going to be easy at all.’ Demo thought wearily, after a another minute of hit and retreat tactics by Demo the krogan roared and moved to kill his team mates instead thinking that the puny human would run away given the chance and that was the last mistake he ever made. 

As once the krogan started to turn towards Tali Odysseus seized his chance and drove his blade into the krogan’s neck killing him quickly as his team finished the other foes off. Demo was nearly knocked to the ground by Tali tackling him in a crushing. {You Boshes ‘Tet I thought I lost you!} She cried as she started shaking and Demo just started rubbing her back while gesturing the rest of his team to work on the doors while he calmed her. 

{My heart I am sorry for the fear I caused you it hurts me to see you anything less than happy. But know this I will always return to your side not even death will stop me, you know why?} Odysseus asked and Tali calming from hearing his voice and feeling his touch shook her head. 

{Because as long as a heart beats you are never truly dead and I don’t carry my heart in my chest as it is safe in the hands of the angel that I currently hold in my arms.} Tali blushed deeply at the sincerely in his voice. 

{I promise you I will always be there for you no matter what I will always come to you no matter the distance or what I must do to get to you Tali, I love you and I will be by your side until you banish me.} Tali could only hug him harder before vowing the same and allowing him to guide her back to the team.

The team left the alarms alone and just moved through the base cloaked killing anything that was not a friendly, they freed an agent who was the last of his men alive and unharmed. Along the way the met an asari who they let leave after getting the data keys. The entire time the team had been collecting data on mini hard drives that the twins were carrying with them. When they entered a room with a Prothean beacon that the moment the twins got near it were pulled into its grasp and a full complete message forced itself into their heads. They recovered and turned on their suit cameras as did the others on the team as they wanted a full account of anything else that happened. The Reaper that spoke to them creeped the twins out greatly and after speaking to it the ship cut the Comms and turn around back towards the planet. 

“Well that puts a time limit on us, Joker inform the Salarian team that the timetable just got a lot shorter and that we on our way to the LZ.” Odysseus ordered “Roger Demo message away and see you soon, stay safe.” 

“Back at you joker.” Eris called over the Comm after Jokers call. 

Kaidan met them at the landing site with the bomb dropping it off and starting the set up. “Ashley we are at the bomb site hurry up we need to leave and soon.” Demo called over the Comm. 

“No can do Skipper a geth drop ship is dumping Geth on top of us we are pinned down!” Odysseus froze at the sound of panic in the Chief’s voice. 

“Go Captain I still need time prep the bomb.” Kaidan called to them from his place by the bomb, Odysseus turned to him and spoke. 

“All right just make sure that bomb goes off we cannot let this cloning place survive.” Kaidan nodded and the ground team moved off to save the Salarian team. They got half way there when they saw a geth drop ship dropping geth on top of the bomb site. 

“Kaidan! SITREP NOW!” Eris snapped as Odysseus kept an eye on the sky searching for more geth ships. 

“It’s bad Eris I am pinned down I am starting the countdown!” 

“What! Are you insane?” 

“It is the only way the bomb has to go off, save the chief.” Kaidan pleaded and Ashley countered saying they needed to save Kaidan. 

Odysseus lowered his head and Spoke in a grieving tone and Tali knew that this was going to hurt him no matter what. “Kaidan can you hold the site until the bomb goes off?” 

“Yes Sir I will not fail you again!” The lieutenant said voice a determined edge to his voice. 

“Ancestors guide your hand in battle Kaidan and know this you have more than made up for you mistakes with this I will see you honoured for this.” 

“Thank you captain.” 

“Ashley we are on route to you, radio Joker to pick us up at you location.” 

“Y-Yes sir.” Ashley said before changing channels, Demo turned to his team and squared his shoulders before speaking. 

“Alright time to move we will make his sacrifice count now Move!” He barked before taking off at a jog. 

The fight with Saren was hard and nearly ended with Eris’s death if Garrus had not shot Saren enough that he had to turn and run or risk death. The team barely made it off the planet in time with the Salarians in the hold the team met in the Comm/ready room to debrief. 

“How could we leave him! It should have been me.” Ashley said and Odysseus knelt in front of the grieving chief, and turned off his Visor to look her in the eye. 

“Ash the bomb had to go off and give the speed at which the geth can think they could have disarmed the bomb if we left it, we also could not leave Kirrahe and his men behind. So if you feel the need to blame someone blame Saren and sovereign then stand up. Move forward and strive for the best you can be in his memory so his sacrifice is not in vain.” Ashley sniffed then nodded a new fire in her eyes. 

Odysseus smile before turning his visor back on and tell the team to go rest as he reported to the council along with sending off the data on indoctrination they found along with the recordings from the suit to both the alliance and the council with new orders to return to the citadel. Joker set the course as Odysseus went to his room to writ the letter to Kaidan’s family before kissing Tali on the lips for the first time and curling up to sleep while the ship grieved for their lost comrade.


	20. the return

When the elevator stopped at the council chamber level the twins got out alone heading for the platform to join the pair of humans already talking with the council. “Greetings specters thank you for returning so quickly.” The asari councillor said when Odysseus and Eris saluted the council. 

“Thank you councillor I just wish we had better news for you.” Odysseus said. 

“You have given us much specter Odysseus we will now be ready for when Saren arrives.” The Turian councillor said. 

“Who will be leading the advance on Saren’s location?” Eris asked hoping they would be chosen. 

“There will be no attack on his base as it is in the terminus and also beyond the mu relay.” The Salarian councillor said. 

“WHAT! You are just going to let a person like Saren sit there and marshal his forces and secure whatever this conduit is?!” Odysseus asked shocked at the blatant stupidity of their actions.

“We will not be idle and you forget yourself human!” The turian said annoyed at being challenged. 

“Perhaps I may be forgetting my place but you are the ones forgetting some basic facts!” Odysseus said. 

“CAPTAIN! Stand down now!” Undina snapped and before anyone could blink he found himself and a snapping sound came from the arm he hand point at the captain before Eris had pinned and snapped his arm. 

“Now you forget yourself Undina! We don’t work for you and you have no control over us.” Eris said with a knife by his throat. 

“Councillors, please listen Saren is working with the geth which means he could have a force up to six times the size of you fleet also we have no idea what this conduit is. It could be a weapon of mass destruction or a ship larger than this station we at least need to send someone out there to get a proper understanding of what we are facing.” Odysseus implored as if Eris was not sitting on the human ambassador.

The council stood shocked at the actions of their newest specters, they had never seen such cold disregard for rank of anyone before. These humans were attacking a high ranking member of their own species while speaking with the highest governing body in the galaxy as if it was nothing. The council made a decision at that moment to keep the damage these twins would enact far from them. 

“Very well specters we will agree to your idea, but it will be your crew who goes to Ilos to scout and attempt the assassination of the rouge specter Saren, we will be unable to send any extra force with you.” The asari councillor said. 

“Yes now let the man go and get out of here!” the turian councillor snapped afraid of the cold aura that came from the humans. 

The twins just bowed low before leaving stepping over the man crying silently over his broken arm as if he was nothing to them. Everyone in the room became reminded of a single fact that the twin’s unspoken code that they only obeyed the ones they reported to and everyone else was just a tool to be used or broken.

“Well that could have gone far worse.” Odysseus said as they rode the elevator to meet with the crew aboard the Normandy. 

“Yeah I was half afraid that breaking his arm would have gotten us kicked out.” Eris said “Ah I knew the council hates the man just as much as we do so that was no concern what I was worried about was their plan.” Odysseus said as they left the elevator, when they got in the ship Ashley raced up to them. 

“Ship is ready sir! Just given the order.” 

“Roll us out Joker!” Odysseus called to the pilot before signaling the Chief to follow them. 

“You guys were lucky not to get arrested.” Ashley said as the ground team had been watching the meeting through the onboard cameras in the twins’ suits. 

“Yeah but we have been waiting for a chance to do that for years you have no idea how many in the black ops programs who aren’t even on the assassin teams would volunteer to kill that rat in a heartbeat.” Eris said 

“Really what the do ma’am?” Ashley asked 

“Ruined a number of our ops and has gotten a lot of our people killed.” Eris explained as they felt the ship rumble slightly to signal that they were moving. 

“All right Demo we are away ETA to MU relay is twelve hours.” Joker called. 

“Right thanks Joker tell ground team to prep and rest up before we hit that relay. I will be in my quarters.” 

“Same with me” Eris called out after her brother before they both vanished in a shimmer of light.

 

Tali and Garrus stepped into the elevator at the same time just two hours later after all their prep work was done. When the pair walked out of the elevator the crew that saw them all exchanged a knowing look as the last few nights the dextros had never slept in their bunks so the crew knew were the pair were going. They split up before Tali walked into Demo’s room. 

{My heart are you all prepped for the mission?} Demo asked as she entered. 

{Y-Yes, I also have taken some immune boosters as I was hoping that maybe you would be if you’re not against it.} She start both she descended into a ramble. 

{My heart what worry’s you? I would never see you upset.} Demo said as he came up to wrap her in an embrace. 

{Tomorrow we head in to the most dangerous mission yet and I don’t want any regrets so I want to give you m-my first!} Demo rocked back and Tali for a brief moment thought it was rejection until his body language clued her into that fact that he was shocked. 

{If you desire this then I am truly humbled and gratefully would accept Tali. But this must be your choice I don’t want you to give this to me if you are not sure this is what you want and not what you I think you have to do.} Demo said taking his visor off to show her how serious he was. 

{I want this I want you to see all of me, I want to feel you skin against mine.} She said and before she could continue Demo reached up and removed her mask kissing her deeply.

Across the ship Garrus entered the room to find Eris standing their looking a hologram of a star exploding, She turned her head to him when he approached. {Beautiful isn’t it a reminder that even the most eternal things die.} 

Garrus did not know how to respond to this. {I always look at a picture like this before a mission to remind me that nothing last forever and that all of us die at some point it calms me.} 

"I get that makes you understand that even you can die." Garrus said not really understanding why she would want to be reminded before a mission but would never break her focus like that. 

"Would you like me to leave I can if you want." He said releasing that he might be breaking some kind of ritual that could get her killed the next day and he would die before he let that happen. 

{No I don’t want you to leave I need you for the next part.} Eris said and Garrus stopped as he had been about to turn to leave. 

“N-next Part?” Garrus asked suddenly worried as he had no idea what kind of thing she could be planning. 

{I do two thing before a big mission the first is to remind myself that everything dies so I know my foe can die and the second thing is to either get fucked or fuck myself into the greatest pleasure I can to remind myself what living feels like and to ease my stress. So will you help me please?} She said Irish bur taking a sultry turn that had Garrus’s groin plates shifting. 

“Y-Yeah sure why the hell not I would love that but is this just stress release or more?” 

{Garrus if you want me as your mate then you have to live through the mission understand?} Garrus could only nod before she grabbed him and dragged him to her bed.


	21. the beginning of the last hunt

21\. The beginning of the last hunt.

Tali sank deep into the kiss letting Odysseus take the lead, she felt hands at the clasps of the seals on her suit. With every hiss of the seals being pulled off she felt tender hands gently remove them without ever making direct contact with her skin as Demo was already in his shorts for sleep. When the last seal came off and she stood naked before him she blushed and tried to turn her head suddenly shy at allowing someone to see her bare, before she could turn her head a gentle but firm and callused hand stopped her with a hand on her chin forcing her to look him in the eyes. 

{Tali my heart and angel if you don’t want this I will stop at any point but you never need feel shame near me as you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen!} He swore and that gave her the push she needed to pull him into a deep kiss as her hands reached for his shorts, at once he removed them and swung her into a bridal carry to his bed gently laying her down before moving over top of her. 

Quarian’s were very similar to humans in many ways including their sex organs the only difference really being that males were slightly shorter and thinner than humans and the females pleasure centers actually touched the opening so woman of their race did not need to help themselves along, Odysseus knew these facts as this was not the first Quarian he had ever slept with but despite how short of a time he had known her he would make this woman the last he ever slept with in his life if he had a say in the matter. 

He gently began a massage that would help get her ready as he hit every pleasure zone on her body. Slowly when she was wet enough for him to start, he slowly began working a single finger in until she was use to that by slowly entering and pulling out pushing deeper with every stroke and did this again until she could take three fingers and then he started to bring her to the first of many climaxes that night. When she reached the peak and flew off it he entered her in a smooth thrust going only half way before stopping and letting her body become used to him before slowly working his way to hilting fully. When she came down from the first high he spent more time making sure she was ready for him to move before beginning a night of pleasure neither of them would forget.

Garrus had no real idea of how to be with a human but that did not seem to bother Eris as she flung him on to the bed roughly before moving to straddle him now naked on both their parts as she wasted no time in stripping him. Eris smirked down at him and he was reminded of the jungle cats she had shown him vids of one night. 

{Ah finally it has been far too long since I had a man under me like this!} She purred and Garrus felt his groin plates moving apart again as Turian woman were the leaders in sex for his people they made the first move and they decided when and where. 

Eris took his hands and showed him how to massage her breast before her hands started to work the gaps in his plates on his crest and neck along with his hips. Soon enough his groin plates were fully apart and his cock stood out fully erect and Eris just purred before moving to allow it to enter her and he gasped at the heat from it and how soft and warm it was.

Eris hissed in a mix of pain and pleasure as she worked her lovers cock into her, Turians were larger than humans and ridged while coated in a natural gel like oil. Some humans had problems with the oil and fluids of his race but Eris and her brother both had an odd reaction to dextros based fluids they for whatever reason acted like an aphrodisiac. Eris moved slowly loving that because of their cock’s shape she would not have to help herself at all she could focus on enjoying the feeling of the claws running over her back and hips. 

What Garrus did not know was the many Turians she had been with told her she act much like a turian in bed and had the same pleasure zones, despite not knowing this Garrus’s instincts were guiding him right as when he rolled and pinned her face down before clamping his jaws over neck she screamed in pleasure as the pain of the bite drove her over the edge for the first time that night. For turians the female starts but once she is ready the male and female engage in something just short of a fight for dominance repeatedly flipping each other trying to overpower the over. This was exactly what happened with them as Eris flipped them back over and drove Garrus over the edge with furious hip movements and this back and forth continued until they were both sated. 

Odysseus watched Tali slip back into her suit before coming to join him, he wrapped himself around her and whispered into her mics. {You may not have been my first but if you allow me I wish you to be my last, once this Saren business is over and you have delivered you pilgrimage gift will you give me your hand in bonding.} 

Tali tensed at his words and with every heartbeat she did not respond he became worried that he pushed too far too fast. {Yes! Of course I would love to!} Tali whirled in his arms to hug him. 

{Then let us rest so we can get this annoying business over with quickly.} He said chuckling with relief, and the pair drifted to sleep happier than they had ever been. 

Across the ship Eris crawled into Garrus’s arms before asking the same question. {Garrus Vakarian will you take my hand as you mate after Saren is dealt with and you have visited your mother while I clean up some other details?} Garrus looked like he had been hit with a fish before he stuttered out a response. 

“Y-Yes I will! Of course I will Eris nothing would make me happier but are you sure you don’t want something closer to home.” Eris just laughed hard. 

{Garrus you have a house on Palevan right?} 

“Yes?” 

{Then you are more than close to home as that is where my main safe house is.} Eris chuckled at his expression before moving to touch fore heads with her and began to fall asleep in the first truly relaxed sleep he had in years.

The twins stood by Joker as he approached the relay and they made announcement to the whole crew before they hit the relay. “Alright people this is it the last hunt! After this either we will all be dead or we will live on as heroes and I don’t know about you but I have a wedding to plan when I get back so I am not dying and I want all of you there for it so none of you are allowed to die. Now Joker take us through and sound the horns for the final hunt!” Odysseus said and Joker smirked as Demo always knew how to show the crew a speech before the ship shuddered slightly as it entered the relay.


	22. the last hunt

22\. the last hunt

“Pull up we aren’t going to make it!” Odysseus called over the Comm before slamming his ship hard to the left in and arc to prevent crashing into the surface and not even a heartbeat later Eris pulled the exact same move both narrowly avoiding crashing as they set down. 

“Well that did not work at all!” Demo called as he got out next to the shuttle. “Yeah alright now we need to find a new route in.” Eris called as they gathered around the shuttle. The teams moved forward leaving Liara to guard the shuttles while they looked for a new door control. As the twins vanished under a shimmer of light.

When they came across the geth they fell quickly under the combined sniper fire of four snipers and a pair of combat drones. So they found an artifact that spoke Prothean but was just a distress beacon. They finally reached something that looked to be a control panel for the door when a geth hopper dropper from the ceiling to land behind Tali and reared back to kill her but Demo dropped his cloak and drove his Omi-knuckles into the hoppers optics and the knuckles exploded blowing the head of the geth apart in a shower of sparks. 

{Fucking toasters, no one touches my girl!} He snapped as more dropped on them and the twins along with their team found themselves in close quarters combat. 

The group worked to take them out with Wrex and the twins doing most of the work as they were the most trained for close combat, Eris’s sword cleaved through the geth’s power cores while Demo used an Omni-sword with his shield and Wrex just swung his shot gun and stomped on the geth.

Liara called over the Comm the door was open moments after the tam had used the panel. “Roger we are on our way back now hold tight this bastard has had way to big a lead as it is.” Odysseus said before the team started to move out. 

When they got to the ships their race to catch up was cut short by the strange field of energy that blocked their path. The VI turned out to be very helpful and the twins had been sure to record the entire discussion along with pulling as many of the files from it as they could before they had to race back to the ships. 

“What is the plan now we don’t have time to fight through all the geth?” Garrus called as the team climbed into the ships. 

“No plan other than fly fast and try not to get shot down.” Came the voice of Demo over the Comm. 

{What! You bosh ‘Tet are you trying to get us killed!} Tali cried as the shuttle took off. 

{Calm yourself my heart I just mean that there is no other way don’t worry Eris and I have never been shot down before and I don’t plan to start now.} Demo joked laughing. 

{Not very comforting!} Tali cried as the shuttle suddenly lurched into a sudden dive. 

{Shut the fuck up and let us fly in peace!} Eris snapped as she barely dodged missile fire and the Comms fell silent as the twins flew through an ever more dangerous path until they hit the relay at full speed. 

{Never again please!} Tali as she climbed out of the wreck that was the shuttle. 

{My Baby!} Demo cried looking in horror at the remains of his ship. 

{Yours what about mine?!} Eris asked sounding close to tears as she knelt in front of the remains of her shuttle. 

Ashley and Wrex just shared a look as their cold as ice commanders broke down over a pair of ships. 

{Alright time to move no splitting up this arse dies now!} Odysseus said after gathering himself. 

The group nodded and moved off to file into the elevator, when it slammed to a halt Demo calmly pulled out is shotgun and called out. 

“Mag boots and masks on we are going for a walk.” The team suited up as Demo shot the window out and climbed out on to the station.

They did not bother cloaking given the layout out and the fact that the geth knew the number of their teams. Demo and Tali were hiding behind some half cover as they slowly made their way to the large turrets. 

{This should be the last turret.} he called out as Tali started hacking in, he may be better at programing but she could hack circles around him with the upgrades he made to her suit. 

{Got it!} She chirped as the turret suddenly started firing on the geth allowing the team to move forward to the final show down with Saren.

Saren shot himself Odysseus was shocked at how easy that was. {Eris mom was right you really could talk your way out of anything!} He joked as they start to open the arms. 

“Shadow, Demo are you guys there?” Joker called out. 

“What is the sitrep Joker?” Demo called as Wrex and Ashley moved to make sure Saren was dead. 

Joker explained the council was in trouble. “Do not lose the council Joker we need them if the galaxy is to stay together!” Odysseus ordered Joker just as the Line closed Saren got back up and started fighting again. 

“Wrex, Ashley Pull back!” Odysseus ordered as he started raining bombs down on the creature that was once Saren the other members spread out of the platform the twins were on as the took Saren out for the last time. 

The explosion that came when the creature died caused the place to start coming down on top of them. Eris grabbed her brother and pulled him out of the way of a falling chunk of the station. The pair tumbled down the side of a growing pile of rubble.

Tali and Garrus stood with the rescue crew looking for the specters who had vanished under a pile of rubble. Captain Anderson shouted and standing there looking worse for wear were the twins their quarian armor in tatters, Tali let out a cry and ran to her lover grabbing in a strong hug until he let out a cry saying he they both had broken ribs. The twins were dragged off to speak with the council before they could get to the med bay and at length they named the captain the ambassador.

A week after the attack on the station the crew was off once again, this time they were dropping off Garrus on palevan and Tali to the fleet. Wrex had been dropped off to his home world and Liara had decided to stick around for a time until after the pair of weddings that were to take place after their patrol of the Omega Nebula cluster they would be picking the crew up once more for the weddings.  
FIN for now.


End file.
